Little Bird
by doncellerespire
Summary: Marley Carpenter has lived with the Summers for three years now, and more than ever she's used to the Scooby lifestyle. She knows the rules, she knows how to wield a stake (however clumsily), and not to invite in bumpy-headed strangers. It's been years since she started showing signs, but more and more it seems as if she will have to come to terms with her demonic side. Spike/OC.
1. Alone

**Hello everyone! Thanks so much for checking out my first chapter! I hope you enjoy it. Warning for cursing, violence, etc... if more warning are needed down the line I'll add them. Please review, or message me or whatever, I don't bite. I hope you all enjoy! **

**Chapter One - Alone**

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Joyce asked, shoving another tray of lasagna into the freezer. If there was any woman who could pack eight trays into a space that should have held four and still close it, it was Joyce. I had months of casseroles, lasagna, and at least three pies to last me. The pies were probably going to be the first to go.

"I could feed the whole gang 'til Christmas, I think I'm going to be fine," I said with a laugh as she struggled with the door.

"Well, that's when I'll be back, so I guess you'll be okay." Joyce had finally managed to shove it closed. She'd been in a frenzy the past few days; with Buffy moving into the university, and Joyce packing for Italy, and me, well staying here. I'd spent the last couple of years living with the Summers', and for the first time I was going to have the entire house to myself. I was actually kind of looking forward to it, my very own bathroom, imagine that.

"Thank you for everything. I don't think I'm even going to have to do laundry while you're gone." I popped a grape into my mouth, and slid off the barstool.

"Oh, I hope you wash your clothes more than that, Marley."

"Don't worry, I will," I said reaching for a banana.

"You're going to have to go out to the store tomorrow if you keep eating like that."

"But, banana," I said with a pout, lifting up the fruit, "Oh! You're going to be late! Have you called a cab?"

"That eager to get rid of me are we?" She asked, and I grinned sheepishly, "The cab is on the way. Speaking of which, I need to go finish packing. There's a shepherd's pie in the oven that will be ready in a few minutes, I know it's your favorite, there should be enough to last you the week," she glanced at me as I shoved the rest of the banana down, "or a few days."

"Hey," I grumbled through a full mouth.

"Teasing."

"No, it's probably true," I sighed. Joyce laughed, and headed for her room. The edge of the counter dug into my back as I listened to the stairs creak.

All mine. I hadn't had a place to myself since the hell hole I'd found when I first came here. That place wasn't really a treat to live in. Don't get me wrong I love living here, but back on the East Coast with my parents I had had my own bathroom. There are just some things a girl needs. I had to admit it was going to be kind of weird; no Buffy, no Joyce, Willow was going to be over at the University too, and Xander was road tripping or something. What was I going to do with the time I was supposed to use to study instead of saving the world in some sort of adjacent role? Homework?

That sounded excessive.

I don't really know how I ended up in Sunnydale exactly. When you get kicked out, you're normally a bit too pissed to think about where you're going, except far away, and I didn't have enough for the bus fare to Los Angeles. Oddly, the tiny little town ended up being a hell of a lot more interesting than L.A., and I really mean the hell part. I touched down in the land of monsters, and freaks. Fitting really.

There was a sharp buzz, and I jumped. Ooh, the shepherd's pie was done. The oven squeaked as I opened it, and a wave of heat, and meaty, potatoey, buttery, goodness rushed out. Buffy hated shepherd's pie so we didn't have it for dinner that often, but I was going to have Joyce's cooking skills all to myself now.

"Marley! Did you get the pie?!" Joyce called from upstairs.

"Yeah, I got it!" I yelled back, digging around for a spoon. Time to get my pie on. A car horn blared from the driveway, "Joyce! Cab's here!"

A few seconds later Joyce came clattering down the stairs, bags dangling over her arms, a suitcase thudding behind her. Just a few more minutes, and that big beautiful bathroom would be all mine. Bubble baths, and naps in the shower, and no one pounding on the door because they're going to be late, or are covered in blood again.

"You got the pie?" She asked again, shuffling with her bags so they weren't hanging from her wrists.

"Yes, we already went over this." I smiled, helping her rearrange her stuff.

"And remember school starts tomorrow. You remember the address?"

"Yes, I do. All the way on the other side of town," I said. I was going have to bike practically to Giles' apartment every day for school. It was like five miles.

"My girls are getting so grown up, Buffy at college, and you're starting your senior year." The taxi honked again.

"You should get going," I said, "I'm gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Marley, I love you, and remember to tell Buffy that too."

"I love you too, and I will," I said, hugging her around the plethora of bags. With a few more goodbyes, she rushed out the door and into the cab, and then she was gone.

The shepherd's pie was waiting for me in the kitchen. Still steaming, but quite a bit cooler now. My dinner plopped into the bowl, the beefy smell getting stronger as I stirred it up. It was so quiet in the house now, no one left but me. I sat down, warm bowl of mushy pie in hand. No you know what, I was alone, I could eat on the couch now.

* * *

It'd been almost a week, and I was starting to realize exactly how bored I was. I'd been excited to do my physics homework, excited. This was ridiculous. A few days without Buffy, and I had nothing better to do with myself than study. Here's another thing I figured out when I got back to school, all of my friends graduated.

Blow up my school, abandon me to senioritis and mediocrity, it's all okay. I'll just be here; eating your mother's lasagna, and stealing your fancy conditioner…so ha! My mouth stretched into a frown, I was just in one of those moods where you feel itchy. Not physically (well maybe physically too), but like itchy in your soul, and you just can't fucking scratch it. Everything was pissing me off: the canned laughter on the sitcom, the way my shirt kept riding up on my back, the pieces of hair that kept tickling my neck. Slamming my pencil down I pulled the blonde, curly, inherently evil mass into a bun.

This was going to be a really boring year wasn't it? Last year was full of patrols, and rouge slayers, and huge ass snakes. Now it was just going to be me and my text books. All right, problem number three of…twenty. Twenty. I was going to - the phone rang, and I leapt up, books clattering to the floor.

"Hello, Summers Residence. Marley speaking."

"Hey, graveyard, ten minutes?"

"Buffy! Oh my God, yes. I'll see you there." I grinned into the phone, and hung up. Oh thank God, I wasn't going to be alone until Christmas. I swung around and stared at the books and pencils that had been scattered across the floor. Physics could wait.

* * *

My feet hit the ground before the bike had even stopped moving. I wasn't really good at the whole slaying thing, that was usually left up to Buffy, I was more of the moral support and extra stakes. Or books, of course most of us were books, Buffy was the hero.

It was relatively cool out, for the first time in months I actually needed a jacket. It was nice, I've always liked jackets they're cozy. Buffy was already there, sitting slightly hunched on a headstone, feet dangling a few inches above the ground. Four years ago, a cemetery would have been a no go at night. Shoot it would have been a no go during the day if I was alone, but now graves and corpses felt kinda homey.

"So any vamps yet?" I asked, scooching up next to her.

"Nah, nothing's biting tonight," she said, not looking at me, watching the graves instead.

"So how's college?"

"Kind of like high school; but a bit harder, and a bit less evil," she laughed, and turned her attention to me. It looked like nothing was going to rise tonight, "How's senior year?"

"It's a glorified trailer park, also a bit less evil," I said and leaned my head against her shoulder, "You know once the novelty of hour long bubble baths wore off, I kind of started to miss you guys."

"Marl, it's been less than a week," she said letting her head rest on top of mine, "How are you supposed to last till Christmas?"

"I don't know, can you hide me in your dorm?" I asked, and suddenly Buffy sat up straight. We got real quiet, and she jumped from the gravestone. From behind us there was a feral snarl, and the sound of footsteps.

"Down!" Buffy ordered, and I quickly complied, throwing myself from my perch. The grass around here was pretty soft; it smelled fresh, and dewy. I rolled over to watch Buffy konk the opponent of the night on the head with a well placed roundhouse kick. The vamp was dressed all fancy, fresh from the grave, and not much of a threat.

"You could keep me in the closet," I decided to continue, "I'm very good at fitting into small spaces."

"I don't think you would want to," she said as she threw one punch after another, the vampire stumbling back, "My roommate listens to Celine Dion," she blocked a strike and then kicked him squarely in the chest, "constantly. You know, you can only hear one song over and over again so many times before you want to throw yourself in a hellmouth," she concluded as she thrust her stake into his heart, and the surprised look on his face crumbled into dust.

"Oh gosh, that sounds terrible," I said climbing back on top of the grave, a Mr. Clarkson's.

"It is. I had to get out of that dorm before I strangled her with her radio's power cord," she sighed, sitting next to me.

"So other than the roommate problem, there's got to be an upside," I said, "maybe a boy? A cute one, maybe two. Three if you're feeling generous and want to share."

Buffy laughed, "Yeah, yeah I think their might be."

"Ooh, what's his name?" I asked, poking her in the side getting a giggle out of her.

"Parker," she said, emphasizing each syllable and finishing it out with a smile. I was proud of her, jumping back on the horse after Angel left. I had been kind of worried about her, the last time Angel went AWOL she did too. For an entire summer. I was back at home with Joyce, trying to do cleanup duty, "He's kind of cute. I might just have to keep him all to myself."

I laughed and feigned hurt, placing a hand over my heart, "Oh whatever shall I do without my faithful slayer bringing home boys for me to eat?" She shoved me playfully, and I nearly came off the headstone, "So, what kind of action have I missed?"

"Oh nothing special. Just your average vamps," she said casually, swinging her feet back and forth, "I've been having some weird dreams recently," I tilted my head, "oh you know, scorpions, blood, evil demons. The usual. I was going to go talk to Giles tonight, after this."

"Well you've already filled your quota for the night," I said, jumping up, "You should figure out what's going on. You know just in case it's serious."

"What, you getting tired of me already?" She said, standing up too.

"I could come with you, I haven't seen much of Giles recently, there isn't much of a library at school now."

"No. You have school tomorrow, and I've probably already kept you from doing homework," she said, picking up her bag and swinging it over her shoulder. My heart fell, I didn't really want to go back home. Watching Buffy kill one vamp was probably the most fun I'd had in days.

"Yeah, but that's kind of expected."

"Go home Marley, it's late. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" She pulled me into a hug.

"Okay."

* * *

It had been a few days since I had gone out patrolling with Buffy, and once again, I hadn't done a lot. I'd gone to school, I'd reheated entire pans of lasagna to cut out one piece and put it back in the freezer, I saw Giles once for few minutes. Xander was back though, I'd go hang with him at the Weenie Hut after school, and eat free hot dogs while trying not to hog the condiments.

At the moment however, I was in school. Trapped in the poorly ventilated, over crowded French trailer, with more than its fair share of boys who were yet to understand the inner workings of deodorant. Currently said boys were joking in the back of class, rather loudly, much louder than our soft and mousey French teacher. They'd laugh and flail about, releasing yet another wave of body odor.

"I'd like to si vous outta here," I muttered under my breath, pressing my nose into my sleeve. Just five more minutes and I could go to...physics. You know last year I at least had something to get me through seven hours of sunny hell. Usually that something was sitting at the very center of sunny hell for three hours afterwards, and reading about how to kill the things that crawled out of it, but at least I did that with well washed friends.

Come on Marley, focus, conjugations, verbs. Two more minutes, you can do this. Oh, two more classes, and it had already been such a long day. I wondered if Buffy and them even were in class right now, it sounded like they had a lot more free time. Well in a year I could go join them over at UCS, but for now it was more sunny hell.

The clock hit two, and there was the anticipatory rustling of paper, and zipping of bags. The teacher was trying to yell out the homework over the din to no avail, and therefor at least ten students would show up tomorrow with the customary, ' you didn't assign this shit!'. The bell rang and everyone ran for the door.

Oh air, sweet fresh air. I was free from that cage of B.O. and despair. It was a nice day out, still warm enough to be running around in shorts and tank-tops. The students all seemed to have bigger backpacks this year, probably because there wasn't much in the way of lockers now. Physics, physics, physics. The trailer was on the other side of the long rows of mass produced corrugated metal, yet ten feet to my left, was my pretty bicycle. Physics...freedom…physics...freedom. Freedom. I turned to the racks, and within a minute I was up on my bike and pedaling away as fast as possible. I wouldn't have been able to handle the rest of the day there, I'd already come pretty close to completing the first full week of the school year. I thought it was an impressive enough of a feat to warrant, well, not finishing the first full week of school for the year.

I decided that I didn't want to go home to an empty house. Instead, I turned towards the campus. If I laid low for an hour or so before I found Buffy she wouldn't question why I wasn't in school. For having an academic attendance record worse than mine, she sure got on my case about missing school a lot.

It wasn't a particularly long ride from the school to the university, maybe twenty minutes opposed to the hour it took to bike from home to school. It was actually pretty pleasant, almost completely flat or downhill, there was a soft breeze keeping me cool. Sure the fifty pounds of books on my back almost took me out around a couple of those turns, but otherwise it was a nice ride. College kids were wandering about here and there, apparently more than a few of them were still in class though. It was nice and quiet, birds chirping, sun shining. I found a nice shady tree near the quad, and pulled out my French homework. As long as I was cutting class I might as well be getting a head start.

* * *

An hour later I was almost done with my pre-calc homework, the numbers were spinning on the page. Just two more problems. Then I could take a nap or something. I was trying my hardest to actually comprehend what the next problem was saying, when I heard a familiar voice.

Buffy.

I glanced at my watch, school wasn't supposed to let out for another half hour. Grabbing my books I quickly dragged myself around to the other side of the tree, and prayed to God that she hadn't seen me. I did let myself peek, however, a grin spreading across my lips when I saw who she was with. A brown haired pretty boy, Parker. I had expected her to look a bit happier with the new prospective boy, maybe it was just the distance, but she kind of looked...upset.

I was considering walking over, whether she would rag on me for skipping or not, when I spotted something skulking in the shadows. A certain bleach blonde, leather wearing something. I had always known Spike to be brave, but hot damn being that close to sunlight was crossing the stupid line farther than I thought he was capable. Wow, he was getting pretty close to the edge of the shade - and he's walking into - wait what the hell?

Broad fucking daylight, that bastard was just strolling through the sun like he was on a picnic or something. A sick grin plastered on his smug face. What the hell was happening? I glanced back at Buffy, Parker had left her now, but Spike was approaching quickly.

Shit, shit, shit, what the hell was I supposed to do? "Buffy!" I yelled, and she looked up at me. No, no she was supposed to look the other way. I opened my mouth, about to call for her to turn around, but it was too late. Spike grabbed a fist full of her hair and yanked her down, I could hear her surprised yelp from here.

How I wished I knew how to go all glowy at will. I wasn't Buffy with her slayer strength, or Willow with her magic, I was Marley. I didn't have the fancy super powers, I was stuck with the ones that I couldn't even use ninety five percent of the time. I had to do something though, Spike's fist was coming down on her again and again, she didn't even have a chance to get up. Instead I kicked into high gear, sprinting towards the pair of them. Spike had his back turned, though he had to know I was there, he'd heard me call to Buffy. My hand curled into a fist as I came closer, raising it up ready to swing, when suddenly he was facing me, his hands wrapped around mine.

"Well, good day little bird," he grinned, tongue flicking over fangs, "I didn't think you'd have the guts." And with that I was flying, not for long though, a brick wall felt like a pretty good stopping point. There had been a sharp crack when I hit, I think it was my head, or maybe I imagined it all together. I could barely think, barely see, or hear. I could feel though, I felt like I was going to throw up. The sounds of the slayer and the vampire duking it out were muffled, I couldn't tell who was winning.

Come on, Marley. Get up, do something, you're being a fucking bump on a log while vampires walk around in sunlight. I slowly rose to my feet, trying to ignore the sick spinning feeling that wanted to take me back down. Buffy was back on the offensive apparently, and absolutely kicking ass. Throwing punch, after kick, after jab, beating him down, and then grabbing something. The vampire started to sizzle, and was down the sewers before I even had the chance to blink.

"Marley!" Buffy called, jogging over.

"Hey, um, what the hell was that?"

* * *

"So Spike has been trying to go all super vamp, and no one thought to, I don't know? Call?" I asked, feeling more than a bit bitter. I was sitting on Giles' couch, an ice pack on the back of my head dripping freezing water down my neck. Giles was next to me, Xander and Oz sat across. Buffy and Willow were talking about something over at the table, I wasn't sure what, I hadn't really been in the mood for asking how anyone's day had been.

"I'm - I'm sorry, I guess it just slipped our minds." Giles took his glasses off and polished them.

"Slipped your minds? He knows where I live! And quite frankly I don't live with a slayer anymore, what if he had decided to use his brain for once and didn't try to take out Buffy on round one? I would have been a sitting duck Giles, sitting duck!" I sat back huffily, crossing my arms. I kind of regretted the sudden movement, it made the pulsing headache all the worse.

"Oh. Sitting duck, says the girl who can kill vampires with pretty glowing light." Xander said, and I glared at him.

"Hey! The last time I went all glowy, was because I nearly got eviscerated! Do you think I like being eviscerated?" I snapped, God my head hurt like a bitch.

"Well, you could learn to use your powers -" Giles started.

"Yeah with what? We don't even know what I am." That was true. Three years in, and Giles still hadn't been able to figure out what I was exactly. There's an astonishing array of things out there that go all flashy when they're feeling threatened, I guess we're kind of like tropical birds that way. So far it looked like I could be immortal; or like one of those mayflies, I'd have three days to live once I hit Puberty Round Two: Demonic Smack Down ; that or I could end up developing horns, and a tail, and sharp pointy teeth to suit a sudden taste for human flesh.

My parents wouldn't be of any help, because out of all the lore we'd looked through, most of it said my parents probably weren't actually my parents. I was some sort of changling, that or I was some sort of creepy ass parasite that strangled the real baby before birth. Yeah, I might have kicked me out too.

"Well there are basics, things we could figure out if you would just try," Giles argued.

"I don't want to just try! What if we do it wrong, and I'm actually the mayfly and I die three days later, because I triggered the demon too early. It's like cow hormones in children's milk, but magic."

"Magic cow hormones?" Oz said slowly, the very first thing he'd added to the conversation.

"What're we talking about?" Willow asked, plopping down on the couch next to Oz.

"Magic cow hormones," Xander piped up.

"Magic cow hormones?" She looked kind of confused.

"Yes! Magic cow hormones!" I said, standing up a bit more quickly than I should have, "You know what, I'm going home. Drop a line next apocalypse or something, give me a heads up." I grabbed my bag and stalked towards the door.

"Marley, do you really think you should bike all the way in your condition?" Giles started to stand, "I should drive you, it won't take -"

"I'm fine, Giles," I growled, and stalked out of the house.

* * *

**Well there we have it. I hope you like it! Let me know what you though, constructive criticism is more than welcome! Next chapter will hopefully be out soon!**


	2. Control

**Chapter two! I hope you all like it! Special thanks to Hostile17sKitten for the review and the advice. Same warnings for swearing, and violence (though any violence in this chapter is pretty mild). Also, forgot to add this in in the last chapter, everything belongs to the lovely Whedon, save Marley. I hope you enjoy, reviews whether complimentary or constructive are more than welcome! **

**Chapter Two - Control**

The video store was decked out in orange and black, little pumpkin and witch stickers were plastered to every somewhat flat surface. The counter was manned by a very disgruntled looking bumblebee. Someone wasn't in the Halloween spirit...the night before Halloween. I wandered through the racks of empty VHS cases trying to find the horror section, tracing my finger across the glossy, bright pictures. Eventually those bright, pretty pictures started to turn dark, and a bit more like something I'd seen in the sewer below Sunnydale. P, P, Phantom Spirit, Phantom in the Attic, no Phantasm. Maybe I could bring back The Shining or something? No, Xander had his heart set on Phantasm.

The disgruntled bumblebee was still there when I got to the front, frowning at a pile of receipts, "Hi," I said, placing my hands on the counter.

"What can I do for you?" She asked, not sounding particularly sincere.

"I was looking for a copy of Phantasm."

"Yeah. Yeah we got one," She said, not really looking at me, but the screamer playing on the TV hooked up to the back wall.

"Could I...rent it? Please?" I asked, wait why was I asking this? It's a video store of course I could rent it. She hadn't responded yet, her eyes were still glued to the television in the back. I couldn't see what was happening, but it sounded rather gruesome. Should I say something? That vacant stare, coupled with viciously winged eyeliner, and her slow methodical way of chewing gum that some how came across as aggressive were all kind intimidating, fluffy bee suit or not.

Just as I was about to open my mouth she answered, "Yeah. One minute," and disappeared into the back, stinger swaying. From the sound of it someone was being brutally murdered behind me, God knew how long it would be while I waited for my movie, I might as well watch this - fucking hell!

William the fucking Bloody had his mouth wrapped around some poor guy's neck. With one last violent shake that knocked a few cases off the shelf, he dropped his victim, and turned to look at me. He slowly licked his lips, and started to walk towards me.

"Spike," I warned, "Don't come any closer. I have a stake, and I'm not afraid to use it." I lied, I was at least moderately afraid. I'm guessing he knew, because he laughed a moderately evil laugh in return. Could I perhaps get slow working bumblebee girl back as villain of the evening? I felt far less confident about my chances of surviving in Spike's general vicinity without Buffy.

"Oh like you could if you tried." He said, with an asinine sneer. Oh what I would give to glow his ass into the next dimension, if I actually knew how to perform said glowing.

"I could!" I argued, reaching into my bag for the stake that I apparently had lied about as well, "But I'm not going to."

"Just like I'm not going to kill you."

"You're not?" I sounded more surprised than I had meant to.

"Not here for that Bird. Popped out for a midnight snack and a video, no intention of getting the slayer and her scoobies on my arse," he said, standing behind me to form a line, what the actual hell? "What? You think I'd know where to find this," he quickly flashed a case in front of me, "in that hell hole? Anyways, I was thinking of taking the bee home for a movie snack."

I blinked, "Why would you tell me that?" He cocked his head to the side, "You already killed that guy, you think another is going to make Buffy want to stick a stake in you less?"

"No, no, he's not dead. I'm not going to kill her either, well technically."

"Not dead? Look at you, tiptoeing around the slayer like all the other vampires, someone's finally -" He grabbed my wrist and squeezed, as much as I hate to say it I couldn't suppress a yelp.

"I'm not tiptoeing, you stupid bint, I'm being smart," he snarled, and then pushed me into the counter, before straightening back up and letting his face shift into the human mask, "I don't need you off tattling to your precious slayer right now," he said a bit more calmly.

I nodded, not really sure what to say. Maybe I should leave, let bumblebee girl call nine-one-one. No, that wouldn't work, Spike would just take her and leave captain misfortune over there to bleed out. I glanced at the vampire, he had turned his attention to the movie, apparently bored by threatening me. Glad to know I'm appreciated. Out of curiosity more than anything I looked to the case in his hand, Passions: Season Three, Tape Two.

"Passions?" Oh my God, this was the funniest thing I'd seen all day. If I wasn't slightly worried he would change his mind about killing me, I would have laughed.

"Yeah, my girl wants to -"

"Spike, you staked Harmony last month, and honestly even Drusilla wouldn't watch that crap."

"Fine, it's mine," he said, avoiding eye contact. Don't laugh Marley, don't laugh. For the love of God, don't laugh. I choked on a giggle, and it came out as a snort. Fuck. My stomach dropped a bit as I met his glare, and I took as much of a step back as I could considering the counter behind me.

"You know what? I'm too tired for this!" He snapped, throwing the box on the ground and practically storming out of the store.

"Here's your movie." The monotone voice of bumblebee girl droned from behind the counter, "That'll be seven ninety five."

"What about -" I looked at the unconscious man a few feet away.

"I'll deal with it," she said, "seven ninety five." I started digging through my purse, there had to be money somewhere.

"You're not going to ask what happened?"

"It's Sunnydale, kid. Enjoy the movie."

* * *

The crickets weren't dead yet, not that I minded, I always thought they sounded pretty. It was late by the time I managed to get back to Xander's basement. I could hear music from inside, nothing horribly loud (Xander's mom would yell at us), but loud enough that they probably didn't hear my knock. So I lifted my hand and rapped on the screen door again, I didn't mind the dark, but my encounter with average height, pasty, and gruesome had left me a bit unnerved. I knocked again, a bit harder.

"There's our southern bell!" Xander grinned, and pulled me into the basement. Oz, Willow, and Buffy were all there as well as a couple de-gutted pumpkins.

"I'm not a southern bell, Xander," I said smacking the VHS against his chest as I passed, going to take a seat next to Willow.

"You have a southern accent," he countered.

"Hardly."

"You're from Georgia!"

"And you're from Sunny Hell. Just put in the movie, Xander. I want to be scared by something that doesn't exist for once," I said, crossing my arms and throwing my feet up onto the table. At least tomorrow was Halloween. Halloween was quiet, and peaceful, and only spooky in a corny way. My eyes felt droopy, maybe I could just sleep here. No need to go all the way across town in the middle of the night while vicious vampires roam the streets. Not that they don't normally roam the streets at night.

"All right, popping in the movie." Xander narrated, I just leaned my head back and listened. Oz and Willow were flirting quietly through the previews, Xander was making idle (and completely ignored) chit chat, Buffy was oddly quiet. Actually, she'd been oddly quiet since our run in with Spike a few weeks ago.

"Marley, what the hell?" Xander said, and I heard something rustling on the coffee table.

"What?" I mumbled.

"This isn't Phantasm, It's Fantasia." He said, and I sat up grabbing the box from him. He was right, Mickey was staring up at me decked out in wizard robes and starry hat.

"How are we supposed to reach full scareage off of Fantasia?" Xander asked, hitting the eject button with a little more force than necessary.

"I don't know, the big demon thingy is kind of creepy," Willow said, smiling at me. I could always count on Willow.

"I'm sorry Xander, I forgot to check if she gave me the right movie. I was preoccupied." I said, leaning back again and letting my eyes fall shut.

"Everything okay?" Oz asked, I could hear him shift on the couch, leaning forward to see me around Willow.

"Yeah, no, it was just a little run in with Spike. He didn't give me a rough time," I sighed, "He was just there to rent Passions." I added, hoping to keep them from questioning me further. Buffy had been so out of it lately, I didn't need her going after Spike just for him to add a third slayer to his belt. It worked, the others erupted into giggles, even Buffy. After much merriment at Spike's expense, the giggles died down.

"You're okay though?" Willow asked, "You seemed a bit, spooked."

"I'm okay, he just hassled me a bit. I think you might have him whipped Buffy," I said, leaning forward to look at her where she was sitting on the end of the couch, "he was afraid of incurring your wrath." Buffy smiled, and laughed.

We ended up watching Fantasia anyway, talking quietly amongst ourselves while Hippos danced in tutus on screen. I spent half of it asleep, the other half listening to my friends with my eyes closed. They were talking about some party or something, I wasn't sure, not that I particularly cared at the moment. I decided that Xander didn't have a choice as to whether I stayed or not. I just drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Why the hell was Anya in my room? No, this wasn't my room, why the hell was Anya in Xander's room? A quiet yawn forced its way from my throat, and I smacked my tongue against the roof of my mouth, trying to shake the fuzzy feeling that seemed to blanket everything. What time was it? I really must have fallen asleep, the futon hadn't even been pulled out. I was just curled in the corner of the couch, using the headrest as a pillow, and pillows as blankets.

Did I really want to deal with Anya right now? It sounded like it was a relatively serious conversation, and quite frankly I wasn't in the mood for overly honest comments about the current state of my hair. She hadn't seen me yet, I could just go back to sleep, sleep sounded nice.

My head felt heavy, sinking further into the cushy pillow top of the couch. I think I had had weird dreams last night, that or I was getting dreams confused with centaurs and little baby pegasi. Either way, they were too blurry to really remember anything. Maybe if I fell asleep I could dream them ag - I yelped as I suddenly found myself in midair, quickly followed by the floor, with a short pit stop in between that was my ribcage on the coffee table.

Well I was at least some what awake now.

"Marley?" I heard Anya's voice from somewhere beyond the Futon.

I sat up, "Yup? What can I do for ya?"

"Maybe you could convince Xander that the night that he and I copulated was pleasant enough to continue our relations." She sounded completely serious. I choked, oh my god she was completely serious.

"What?" I said, the word getting mangled by surprise.

"I said -" Anya started, but Xander quickly grabbed her shoulder

"Oh I think she heard you Anya." Xander was turning pink, "You know what Anya, we'll go to the party tonight. Just get a costume ready, it'll be a date, just don't tell all my friends that we... copulate."

"Are you ashamed that we -"

"No, just don't use the word copulate," Xander said, turning redder. Anya nodded, and turned to leave. Xander just stood there in his spiderman boxers looking to be somewhere between embarrassed and mortified.

"So there's a party?" I started.

"You can come too. Just get out." He said, pointing at the door.

"Okay! Calm down, spiderman."

"Out!"

* * *

I needed to go home and figure out something for a costume. I didn't really want to spend fifty bucks on a crappy one from the store. There were enough crosses in the house that I could go as an angry preacher, all I needed was some black clothes. It was kind of chilly out, for southern california that is, it was probably like sixty degrees. Anya had decided to drop by pretty early, the sun had only just risen a little while ago, and everything was painted with orange and gold. I enjoyed biking in the morning, it was cool, and quiet, and everything had that fresh morning smell.

Xander's wasn't too far from Ravello, it took me only a couple minutes to ride up to the house. I felt the need for a shower, and coffee, I could kill someone for coffee right now. I came to a stop and swung off, leaving my bike against the side of the house and headed for the door, which was slightly open. My heart started to beat a little quicker, what if a demon had wandered in, or Spike, or...oh god what if it was just some douchebag with a knife? I didn't know what I was supposed to do with douchebags, you're not allowed to stake them. I stood there, staring at the two inches of space between the door and frame, should I go in? Should I bike back to Xander's?

Letting my keys slide through my fingers to form metal claws, I gently pushed the door open, cringing as it squeaked. Nothing looked disturbed, that crossed out douchebag with a knife, and I didn't know a lot of demons who were up for casual entering without breaking. That left...Spike. Oh you stupid, stupid girl, don't laugh at evil vampires for their preference in soap operas. It'll just come back to bite you in the ass, or neck. I knew I should have asked Willow to do the uninviting mojo, but no, I had to procrastinate everything.

I had decided I was just going to slide out the door, get back on my bike, and leave in a quick and somewhat terrified manner. Except, then I heard someone yelp from upstairs. Had he decided to bring a snack while he waited? Scare me with a body - no that was more of an Angelus thing. I couldn't just leave the poor person, what if they were dead before I could get Buffy here?

Trying to make as little noise as possible I crept over to the cabinet, and started shuffling through piles of junk looking for an extra stake. My heart was practically in my throat as I closed my fingers around the rough wood. Alright Marley, just don't get yourself killed. At least if I did I would end up taking Spike with me, vamps don't do too well when in close proximity to a blast of dying demon light. I slunk up the stairs, each time a step creaked I stopped in a breathless silence. I could hear the sound of someone going through Buffy's room. Finally I made it to the top of the stairs, and tiptoed to her door.

I was expecting a murder scene, or a soon to be murder scene, but instead I got, "Buffy?"

"Hey, Marley. Help." Buffy was crouched next to her dresser, her earring was snagged on one of the handles. I let out a breath and quietly put the stake on her bedside table, she wouldn't question how it got there, stakes practically made themselves in this house. So I wasn't going to die, but I decided it was time to call Willow about locking Spike out. The earring had managed to wedge itself into the grooves of the metal handles rather effectively, so much so that I just pushed her head down a bit so I could take the dangly offender out.

"I don't think you're getting the earring back," I said, "You might be able to get Xander to fiddle with it, he has a lot of free time."

"Nah, I didn't like them much anyway," she said, standing up and heading to her closet.

"What'cha doing?" I asked, leaning against her dresser.

"Looking for a costume. I've got a party tonight." She said, from the depths of her clothes.

"Oh I think Xander invited me to that. So, what are you going to wear?" I asked, my heart hadn't stopped beating in doubletime. I think Buffy showing up was the biggest relief of the day, of course it was only eight.

"I don't know. I was thinking Little Red Riding Hood again, but the costume doesn't fit anymore," she said.

"Get me your mom's sewing kit and the costume, I'll let it out a bit if you find me something to wear."

"Deal," she said, and ran down stairs. A few minutes later she was handing me the supplies, I took them and shifted to get a bit more comfortable against the dresser, while she went back into the closet to look for her costume.

"You've been okay, right?" I asked, absentmindedly pulling out the stuff I would need.

"What?" Buffy asked, coming out of the closet with an armful of red cloth.

"You've been okay? I don't know, you've seemed kind of out of it lately," I said, as she handed me her costume, "You know you can talk to me, right?" Her face fell slightly, and she sat down.

"I had sex with Parker."

"Congratulations!" I lifted my hand for a high five, earning a dirty look, "...not congratulations...what happened?"

"He was so nice, and he was funny, and I thought he liked me - but now he doesn't even notice me, he's not even avoiding me. He just doesn't care!" She said, getting that lost puppy look she had when she was feeling upset.

"I'm sorry. That really sucks." Wow, what a douchebag. Sleep around all you like, but it's a dick move to lead someone on like that. She'd been so excited too, and she was getting over Angel, and now she was moping almost as much as when he was around.

"I feel like an idiot," she said, and leaned against me.

"You're not an idiot. He's an idiot, and a...stinky face." I'm not particularly verbose in the realm of insults. She gave a half hearted laugh for my efforts.

"Yeah...a stinky face." She didn't sound all that convinced.

"Get me a costume, and I'll buy you ice cream? Yummy, fattening, soul cleansing ice cream," I said, and she smiled.

"Alright, you better be prepared to pay for a lot of toppings," she stood up, "I think I have something perfect for you in my dorm. Be back in an hour or so," she said, and ran out the door. I listened to her jog down the stairs, maybe I'd try to make us some waffles too. I sighed, and put the cape and sewing kit aside to stand up, except something kept me from getting up. Namely my hair yanking against my scalp. I tried to move again, nothing. I glanced down at the earring, still dangling in the handle. Oh no.

"Buffy! Buffy don't leave me!" The front door had already closed.

* * *

"Marley, what are you supposed to be exactly?" Xander asked, staring at me with a barely suppressed smirk. I could hear Buffy giggling behind me, this was her fault. I bought her ice cream, and in return she gave me a pot.

"C'mon Marley, what are you?" I glared at Buffy, and lifted the pot to rest over the high bun I'd used to keep it from falling off.

"I'm a pothead," I said, sighing heavily. Everyone started giggling, Buffy was practically cracking up, "This is my first frat party, and I'm a pothead."

"Don't worry, Marley, they're frat boys. They'll be all over you," Oz said, and another round of giggles passed through the group. We kept walking, chatting about the party, and remarking on the costumes of people that we passed. I was glad it was Halloween, that meant a nice quiet fun night, free from real monsters.

"So Xander, where's Anya?" I said, a little revenge for kicking me out this morning. The other's looked at him, eyebrows raised, but before anyone could say anything we were interrupted. My pot was nearly jolted from my head as a group of guys dressed like commandos and brandishing rifles ran past, you're never safe from douche bags.

"What the hell was that?" Xander asked, watching the place where they disappeared into the bushes.

"NATO?" Oz suggested.

* * *

The house was surprisingly, empty. Decorated to the nines, but not a single person was near the entrance. We filed in and looked around at the work they'd done, it was really quite good. The whole place had a dusty, abandoned feel to it: Cobwebs filled with surprisingly realistic fake spiders, junk and scrap wood piled in the corners, it looked like they'd actually broken one of the windows in the back. The whole place smelled like mildew, and something a bit metallic, these idiots had too much time on their hands.

I jumped at a surprisingly realistic scream from behind me. Willow was swatting at something on her back, I supposed that's why it was realistic. Something large, dark, and fuzzy flew off her shoulder and skittered away. Oh god was that a real tarantula?

"I think they tried a little too hard." I was staring back up at the cobwebs, where I could now see the spiders moving here and there. I hate spiders.

"Come on," Oz started walking, "The party's upstairs."

"Hey guys," Buffy hadn't moved, "I think that's real blood." I turned around, and sure enough there was a puddle of thick red liquid. Which would explain the metallic smell. I can't say I wouldn't put frat boys past murder, the ones in this town were kind of fucked up. Maybe it wasn't human? I knelt next to the puddle, not really sure how looking at it would tell me if they'd killed Tommy or Babe. The others had come over to stare at the blood, yes we have saved the world, though sometimes I wonder how.

There was a high pitched squeaking from somewhere above us, did spiders squeak? The first flap of wings against my neck barely registered, but suddenly there was a hell of a lot more of them. I screamed, flailing my arms above my head, trying to get free of whatever demon spawn had been unleashed upon us. Almost as quickly as they'd come, they were gone, leaving one of their fuzzy - no, rubber - brethren on the floor with us. It was a bat, but it was rubber, but it attacked us. What the hell was happening?

"So, call me a party-pooper, but I say we get Giles," I said, trying to let the fluttering in my stomach pass.

"I'm going to have to second that," Willow piped up, trying to push her hair back under the hood of her Joan of Arc costume. Everyone looked rightly freaked. Halloween was supposed to be the fun night, the one where no one tried to eat us, or sacrifice us, or dump twenty evil rubber bats on us.

"Alrighty let's move -" Xander stopped abruptly, "...out. Guys there was a door here, right?" The wall was empty now, no door, no windows. Shit even the stairs were gone, just two hallways on either side, and a plain brown door that probably lead to no where.

"Well it's gone now," Buffy said, touching the place where the door had been.

"Release me!" Someone yelled, based on the deep growling tone it had to be Oz. I didn't think Xander was capable of it.

"Yeah, what he said!" I said defiantly.

"Marley, that wasn't one of us," Xander said.

"Wait, what?"

* * *

"I don't know Buffy, she has a point," I said trying to sound as un-aggressive as possible, "A spell could be useful right now." She didn't seem to want to hear it, her arms crossed, glaring at the floor. I groaned internally, we had been arguing for what seemed like forever, and had gotten no where. One kid in a disappearing closet, and a vengeful plastic skeleton had caused a small panic in the group.

"No," Buffy argued, "What we need to do is split up, and whoever gets out is going to go get Giles."

"I dunno," Oz said, "Whatever is here, I don't think it really wants us to leave." The atmosphere had been tense before, but now it was kind of like everyone had been tied together with a live wire.

"And I don't know if you've watched any horror movies recently, but splitting up isn't usually the best idea." Xander added.

"I think magic would be worth a shot," Willow said, not really looking at Buffy.

"Willow, your spells don't even work half the time!" Buffy snapped, "You're just as likely to get us killed as you are to get us out."

"Yeah, and if we don't try something, we're all going to be killed by plastic skeletons!" Willow yelled, I felt bad for her. She tried hard, and she was a pretty good witch. Buffy was right, she was a bit of an erratic caster. However, I didn't see a whole lot of other options.

"You know what," Buffy raised her hands, "Do what you want, I'm going to get Giles." With that she stormed off, and Willow practically in tears went the other way, Oz close behind.

"So, Xandman, just you and me against the -" I looked around, where the hell was Xander? Great, they'd all left me.

* * *

The halls were endless, it was like a labyrinth in here, every damn door I went through lead to another hallway and the door that I'd come through was gone. There was an odd hollow feeling in my gut, some combination of nerves and the surreal-ness of it all. I honestly no longer cared about what I found, I just wanted to get out of these fucking gloomy little hallways. I sighed, reaching out for another door, I really didn't care it could lead to - Vampires! They weren't the standard, or they were the standard, widow's peaks and the whole shebang. The three of them hissed dramatically, and spread their capes before running at me.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. I was tearing down hallway after hallway, the vamps hard on my tail. I would almost prefer the normal vamps we dealt with, at least if they got me it wouldn't feel so cliche. I threw open another door, and slammed it shut behind me, they couldn't have possibly followed. I sighed, patting the now blank wall and turned around. The vamps were a few feet in front of me, banging on the door I had just gone through, and I was in a dead end. They all turned in unison, giving me perfectly fanged smiles before advancing. I had no stakes, and no weapons save the pot from my head.

This was it.

They loomed over me, capes spread, fangs bared, and then whoosh. There was an actual sound to the golden light that rushed out in waves, burning them to a crisp before they could even touch me, and then racing down the hall and disappearing around the corner. What was that? That wasn't supposed to happen, I'd only ever done the glow thing when I was threatened. And by threatened I mean either a large TV fell on me, or there was a sword in my stomach. A handful of vampires didn't trigger it, at least not before.

Oh god I was getting stronger wasn't I? I didn't know how to use it, much less control it, or even what it could hurt. The first time it happened, back in Georgia, it killed my goldfish. The second time it dusted a couple vamps, but now it was happening again and they hadn't even touched me. What if I hurt someone? What if I hurt Buffy? Or Xander? I staggered to my feet and started running, I needed to get out of here. There was too much that could go wrong.

I threw open another door, with a bit too much gusto. The edge clipped my nose and suddenly the light was coming off of me again, this time in piercing rays shooting off in different directions. Why was it loud? The noise was blinding on its own, but the light was getting brighter. It was a fucking door! It might have made my nose bleed, but I didn't need to go nuclear over it. There was nothing but noise and light now, I couldn't even hear my heart, but I could feel it pounding against my chest. My head was in my hands. I didn't know where I was, if I was sitting or standing, if I was screaming, and then it was dark.

"Hello?" I whispered, I couldn't see anything, what light there was was rendered useless by the blinding sun spots that danced on the back of my eyes. God my head hurt.

"Stay away," a voice growled from a few feet to my left, "Stay away from me." I knew that voice, Oz. Oh god, Oz! I could still feel the glow, prickling beneath my skin. He was muttering something, again, and again. I couldn't make it out, the ringing hadn't left my ears yet. My vision was coming back slowly, and I could see light reflected in the dark black of his eyes. He was changing. That wasn't right, it wasn't a full moon. Of course nothing seemed to be working right in here.

"Shit! Shit I gotta get out of here." I stood carefully, afraid that I would blow the whole town out if I so much as broke a nail.

"I don't want to hurt you," Oz said, from his spot in what appeared to be a tub.

"Not what I'm worried about, bud." I started to feel my way towards the wall. I don't know how I ended up in here, with them, but I needed out. There had to be a door somewhere they had to be.

"I don't want to hurt you." There was more strain in his voice, the gravelly undertones stronger. Ceramic cracked under pressure, he must have been gripping the tub, "Leave!"

"I'm trying!" The prickle was getting stronger, oh god I was going to kill Oz.

I pounded my hand against the wall, pain seared through my hand. It wasn't the wall, it was a mirror. My eyes lit up, reflecting back at me, bright and golden. The cracked glass bathed the room in little gold lights that spun and twirled as I moved, the glow got brighter and brighter. No, no, no, no. Control it, don't do this. You can't kill Oz. I whirled around, and the room returned to darkness, I had to find some sort of way out. I could still see my eyes, the light from them staring back at me. Wait! Glass.

There was a window across the room from me. I lunged, and without a thought, I jumped. The glass shattered around me, and by all means I expected to be enveloped in searing light and sound again as I plummeted to the ground, but it was quiet.

"How did you do that?" Giles' voice had never sounded so pleasant.

"What?" I replied shakily, I hadn't jumped outside, I had jumped into a room.

"You just broke through a wall," Xander said.

"Oh, that," I brought myself to my feet. The prickle was gone, I was fine. No one was dead. There was a rustling behind me, Oz was picking his way through the hole I had left. Everyone was here, Buffy, Willow, even Anya in a fluffy bunny suit. I looked over to Giles, "How did you -"

"Chain saw." Anya said matter of factly.

"Oh, okay," I wobbled my way over to a chair and sat down, "So what's happening?"

Xander held up an old leather bound book, "Gachnar."

"Fear demon," Giles explained, "He feeds off of terror, he was manifesting himself here."

"Is he -"I started, and Giles stepped aside, revealing a demon that couldn't have been taller than a couple inches.

"He did all of this?" I nearly killed Oz, and jumped out a window, at the hands of something so small it could almost be considered cute.

"Yup," Buffy said, slamming her foot down on it despite the little bastard's defiant and diminutive screams, "And now, we're going home."

* * *

**Second chapter is through and done with! Reviews are greatly appreciated, I hope you enjoyed! **


	3. Red Light

**Hey everyone! Third chapter is here :) Thanks to everyone who's been reading, and followed, favorited, reviewd etc... School is a lot right now, but I'm doing my best to get at least a little bit written each day, so it shouldn't horribly long before the next chapter. I hope you all like it! All characters save Marley are property of Joss Whedon. Warnings for swearing and violence. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Three - Red Light**

This was definitely one of the nicer restaurants in Sunnydale, I hadn't expected Dylan to go so...all out. He was wearing a suit for god's sake, and I was wearing jeans and a bleach stained hoody. Was this how guys did the dating thing now? I'd been out of the pool for a year or so, but damn I was expecting a dark movie theater where no one would be able to see the holes I hadn't bothered to stitch up. This place was dimly lit, but I'm still pretty sure the old man at the table behind us knew exactly what shade of pink my underwear was today. Being under-dressed aside, it had been a nice date so far. He had driven me here, the waiter gave us water, and now we were staring at menus together in silence. In the background there was a symphony of polite dinner conversation, and the scraping of fancy forks on fancy plates, because fancy food only comes in half portions.

"So what do you think you'll get?" He asked, not looking up. Everything sounded so fancy, with scallions, and beurre-blanc, and obscure vegetables. Was breadsticks an option?

"I haven't decided yet, it all looks so good. What are you thinking of?" I started to scan the menu with a little more haste, I didn't want him to know I was picky. Oh god, everything was so expensive. He was paying for this right? Cause I did not have thirty dollars for a piece of over spiced beef.

"I was thinking of the Foie Gras in black truffle sauce," he said. Should I just order the same thing? Truffles were like some sort of fancy mushroom, but I had no idea what Foie Gras was supposed to be.

Dylan was really cute, tall, athletic, with pretty green eyes a few shades darker than mine, and a long straight nose, and if he was planning to pay for this I had to assume he was rich. We sat next to each other in English, and had been talking a lot. I guess I had kind of been expecting the date for a while now - I liked him, he seemed to like me. He wasn't as pretentious sounding as that Parker guy, from what Buffy had told me, Foie Gras and all.

"Yeah that sounds yummy -"

"You could have a bit of mine if you like, we could split our dinners. Do you like lobster?"

Well I'm not allergic, "Yeah I love lobster."

"Great," he said, setting down his menu, "I love lobster too." His smile gave him little dimples up near the top of his cheeks that were absolutely adorable.

"Yeah, it's so lobstery - you know, shellfish, butter sauce." What the hell was I saying?

"I'm going to go to the bathroom real quick. You'll be okay?" He said as he stood.

"Yeah, yeah I'll be fine," I said with a polite smile, and he walked by, touching my shoulder as he passed. Well, now I was alone and under dressed. I could just avoid eye contact with all the fancy people, in their fancy clothes, and look out the window instead. It was a pretty quiet night, not too many cars or people. There was a homeless guy on the other side of the street, a couple of shop owners just closing up, what appeared to be some sort of demon looking at a newspaper stand. I was so preoccupied with people watching on the far side of the street that I almost didn't notice Buffy - for lack of a better word - lumber up to the window.

I couldn't quite hear her through the window, but she yelled something that sounded vaguely obscene, and slammed her fist into the glass. The entire restaurant fell silent, and all eyes were drawn towards me and my bright pink underwear. Thanks Buffy.

Something seemed off, slayers tended to be more graceful, and well she was screaming and banging on windows - generally not the signal for everything is a-okay - and then she just ran off. Well, that wasn't normal. I knew she'd been upset over Parker, but I didn't expect her to go completely ape shit. I had to go after her didn't I? Dylan wasn't back, but I couldn't lose track of Buffy, even when she appeared to be drunk off her ass she was faster than me by far. The hall to the bathrooms were empty, no sign of him anywhere. I didn't want to just leave him, was there a pencil somewhere to leave him a note?

I turned to the old man at the table behind mine, "Sir, could you do me a favor?"

"I think so," he said.

"The boy who was with me, tell him I had to leave, and I'm really sorry." I picked up my purse, and stood, "Thank you so much."

I could still see Buffy, just barely, she was moving along at a pretty steady pace. There was no way I was going to catch up with her now. There had to be a phone somewhere, I would have to come across one eventually, so I started to jog after her.

Six blocks and no phone yet. For someone who was constantly at risk of being chased by super-powered monsters, I was not in shape. I needed to start running or something, my legs felt like lead. Buffy was all over the place, she'd nearly been hit by a car twice, not that it would do too much damage.

Oh thank god, a phone. I slid to a stop in front of it and started digging through my purse for a couple quarters. I could hardly see the coin slot, or the numbers, the streetlamp had burnt out at least a week ago and no one had replaced it. Come on, come on, Buffy was already just an awkwardly moving blur at the end of the street.

"Giles. You wouldn't have happened to have misplaced a slayer, would you?" I said, some what out of breath.

"Well, yes, how did you -"

"She's heading down West Poplar, towards campus," I leaned against the metal of the phone's case, it was wonderfully cool, "I'm trying to keep up with her, cut her off would you?" I said, hung up the phone, and kept running.

* * *

It took another five minutes to lose sight of her, and another fifteen before I was totally stumped. Sunnydale wasn't huge, it shouldn't have been this easy to lose a compromised Slayer in the middle of town. There weren't even that many people out, did she take a turn? Climb a tree? Where on earth could she have possibly - fire, of course there's fire!

I took off down the street. I recognized the place, a kind of dumpy bar that a lot of college kids hung out at - apparently they didn't card - and last I heard it was also Xander's most recent place of employment. The trucks were already there, people milling about lugging hoses and yelling orders that were unintelligible from here. I had smelled the smoke a while back, I guess I just assumed that there was another forest fire. It's not like they're uncommon.

"Hey!" I yelled, running up to one of the men, "Hey! Was there anyone in there?" I asked, trying to pick out faces in the flashing lights.

"Yeah, they all got out though," he said, using my question as an excuse to take a break, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Where -" I started, and he pointed towards a cluster of ambulances just up ahead. Buffy. I wove my way through the trucks, and the mass of bystanders trying to make it to them. Come on where were they? Everyone's faces looked so distorted in the flashing blue and red lights. There! Xander was just a little bit farther.

"Xander!" I called out, running up to him, and grabbing his shoulder "Xander! Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah, yeah everyone's fine. You should see Buffy, it's a real blast from the past." He grinned, looking more than a bit proud of himself.

"Is she like...over Parker or something?" I asked, what the hell was he talking about? It was a fire and a drunk slayer, not a time machine - actually I probably can't rule that out around here.

"You could say that," Xander said as the boy in question was wheeled by on a gurney.

* * *

It had been a while since we had all been to The Bronze together. I had missed this, cramming more chairs than could realistically fit around the tiny round tables, and trying not to knock over each other's drinks. The band was pretty good tonight, people were up and dancing, and for once Buffy wasn't moping, but dancing right along with them. Whacking a douchebag over the head can do wonders for a girl. She had been up, and laughing, and wasn't having an existential crisis every twenty seconds. It was nice to have her back.

I checked the door for the twentieth time, and for the twentieth time was disappointed. Still no Dylan, I had left a message saying I would be here. I was hoping we could meet up, but after I ditched him the other day, maybe he didn't want to. I had a good reason for leaving, but I guess good reasons don't count when you don't tell anyone what they are. I sighed, and took another sip of my coke savoring the bubbles and loneliness.

Two thirds of our group were in relationships now; Xander and Anya, Oz and Willow. Both of them happy in their silly, awkward way, though I would have to say the former was a fair bit stranger. They worked together well though, it was kind of like he was helping a very confused kitten - a confused kitten that could talk circles around him - but confused nonetheless.

"Hey," Buffy said, sliding back into her chair, "You guys should come dance."

"But if I'm dancing, how will I be able drink my drink?" Anya asked, holding up a bright green margarita, "It's fruity."

"Are you even allowed to be drinking?" I asked.

"I'm a thousand years old. I passed the drinking age before your great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great -" She had rolled her eyes up trying to count the exact number of greats that might have occurred over the years.

Xander placed a hand on her shoulder, "I think we get it Anya."

"Come on, the band is amazing tonight -" Buffy started.

Willow scoffed, cutting her off, "Oh come on - I mean, they aren't that good - look at her she's so…boring." That was un-Willow like.

"No, she's great," Oz said, almost as if in a daze, "Amazing really." He was watching the singer so intently, the band was great, but you didn't hear with your eyes. I guess things weren't as happy in cross-supernatural relationship land as it had seemed. I looked back towards the doors again, hoping to see Dylan and his dimples, but instead I got Giles. Giles with a serious face, and a index finger calling me over.

"I think I've been summoned," I said begrudgingly, and slid down from my chair.

It was a rare occasion to see Giles show up in The Bronze, and that in itself was troubling. Mixed with the 'we must speak' expression, I was starting to get butterflies. Not the nice butterflies though, more like moths.

"What's up?" I asked, suddenly wishing I had taken Buffy up on her offer to dance.

"I need to speak to you."

"You are -" I started.

"Somewhere where I can hear you," He said, motioning towards the door. I nodded, and followed behind, slouching slightly and shuffling my feet. I had no idea what he wanted, but I didn't like it. It wasn't like I had fucked up spectacularly with in the past few days, there was no reason to go all librarian hunting out overdue books on me. We jostled our way through the line into the club, and stopped in the alley. It was chilly out, I had forgotten to bring a jacket, I was kind of regretting it now.

"I talked with Oz today," He said. Well that was vague.

"Yeah me too, he's in there now if you want to talk to him again." Would he just spit it out already? What if I missed Dylan coming in?

"He mentioned something about you, that he noticed on Halloween," Giles said, taking off his glasses to polish, that was never a good sign, "He had been halfway between wolf and human, so he didn't remember much, but he - he said you were using your powers." That little piece of shit. He told Giles?

"It hasn't happened since. The house did weird stuff to scare everyone, it was nothing. I'm perfectly fine -" I tried to defend myself.

"He said that you lost control of them," He said, putting his glasses back on.

"Yeah the house -"

"Played off of fears that were already there," he interrupted me, "Marley, we need to talk about this, you're abilities aren't just going to go away."

"So what, I shouldn't be afraid of the deadly golden light?" I asked, not meeting his gaze. I didn't see how any of this was relevant. I had the powers, I wasn't human, and I couldn't change it so I would just have to deal, and I was dealing just fine.

"No, I'm saying you're right to be afraid. You're getting stronger Marley - maybe Gachnar hyperbolized them for the effect - but if you don't learn -"

"Learn what Giles? We don't even know what I am!" I argued, voice beginning to raise.

"I've told you a thousand times, that doesn't mean we can't start -" He was starting to get frustrated. His voice didn't get louder, but there was a passive aggressive British bite to his tone.

"What if we do it wrong?! I could get myself killed! Or worse one of you."

"Marley…" Giles softened.

"I nearly killed Oz in that house, and maybe the demon was messing with me, but that power could still be there." My mouth pulled into an involuntary grimace at the thought of the blinding, deafening sensation that the glow had brought, "Right now it is under control, it's not bothering me, or anyone else. I'm not going to try to fix it, it's not broken yet."

"We don't have to wait until it breaks you, Marley. It's not reparations we're looking to make, but a foundation so when you do start to come into your powers you don't almost kill someone," Giles said. He wasn't being fair, he wasn't the one who killed their goldfish when they were fourteen. Shit, I could have killed my parents too if they had been a few feet closer.

"I left my purse inside, let Buffy know," I growled, brushing past him towards the road.

"Marley! Marley we haven't finished -" he called out, gaining more than a few looks from the people waiting to get into The Bronze.

"Yes, we have!"

* * *

I had barely gone anywhere other than school and home in the past few days in an attempt to avoid Giles. Though if he really wanted to find me he knew exactly where both of them were, however I sincerely doubted I could win that easily.

Dylan hadn't been at school. Yet another person who didn't feel like talking to me...he was probably just sick. He could have given me a heads up that he wasn't going to come. Yes, because I gave him ample notice before I ditched him at the fancy restaurant to eat Foie Gras all by himself.

I poked at the mug of ice cream I had in front of me. I should've been doing homework, but I don't know, I just didn't feel like it. I hadn't really felt like going to school either, it wasn't like anyone would know. All they would do is call the house, and I was the only one in it, so see how well that worked.

School should have ended by now, but the crappy daytime TV hadn't. I was forced to decide between Passions, infomercials, and televangelists - needless to say I picked infomercials - I hated school, but I forgot how boring home was. They'd been selling this vacuum cleaner for the past twenty minutes, and the boredom was getting worse. I might as well take a shower, I shoved the last of the ice cream in my mouth and headed for the stairs.

* * *

Was the phone ringing? I poked my head out from behind the curtain, and waited. Yep, definitely ringing. I grabbed a towel and dashed down the stairs, trying not to fall. I'm sure I looked like one of those birds after an oil spill: wet, confused, and covered in soap. I slid to a stop in the middle of the last ring, and picked it up.

"Hello, Summers -"

"Marley, it's Buffy." Her voice came through the receiver, it was a little hard to hear since I had to hold the phone away so I didn't cover it in shampoo.

"Hey, how are you?" I asked, trying to adjust my slipping towel.

"Fine. Hey, can you do something for me?" Well, good thing I took a shower.

"Yeah," I said, I wanted to get back in the shower soon. I had turned the A/C on this morning, and it was colder than I would have liked for being sopping wet.

"There were a couple werewolves loose last night," she said.

"Oz?" I asked, "No one got hurt did they?"

"No, no that I know of," she said, and I had an internal sigh of relief, he would never forgive himself, "Just could you check on him, see if he knows anything about the other wolf?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get on it." I said quietly, twisting my fingers through the cord.

"Thanks. Tell me what he says," She hung up.

* * *

Between finishing my shower and biking up to campus it took another hour or so before I could even start looking for Oz. I checked his dorm, his band mate's dorm, everywhere I could possibly think of that he might be hanging around during the day. Nothing. It was a nice day out, college students were everywhere; playing frisbee, lying on the grass with a small pile of textbooks, it was the type of day where you should be outside playing. Only Oz would lock himself away on a day like this. Wait...lock...I was such an idiot! His cage, of course he would be at his cage.

It wasn't long before I quietly slipped into the room, it smelled of dog and propane. Odd mixture really. There was a loud whooshing noise that would subside every few seconds, and then return. What the hell was he doing? I rounded the corner, finally, Oz. He was crouched next to the bars of his cage, welding torch in hand. He got out didn't he?

"Hey, Oz," I said, with a smile and as a casual an attitude as I could muster, and plopped myself down on top of the table, "What'cha doing?" I nodded to his welding torch.

"Some of the bars were starting to look weak, I'm just being careful," he said, setting down his torch. I nodded, at least five or six of the bars had shiny, fresh, strips from being soldered back together.

"So you were here last night?" I asked, "You didn't get out or anything?"

"What? Why?" He questioned, standing up.

"There were some werewolves on campus last -"

"Did anyone get hurt?" He interrupted, a little too quickly.

"No," I assured him, "No one was hurt." I grabbed my bag and started hunting through it for a granola bar, I was starting to get hungry, "You wouldn't happen to know anything about the wolves? Have you noticed anyone else on campus?"

He shook his head, "Nope. No one." I nodded, he nodded, I nodded back. God, this was awkward

"Well, thanks for the information...or lack there of." I stuffed my granola bar in my mouth and jumped down from the table.

"You are welcome," He said stiffly, I nodded. He nodded. I was going to kill Buffy for putting me up to this, "Well, see ya around?"

"Yeah, see ya around." I pulled my bag back over my shoulder. I sighed, and started going over a checklist in my head, things that needed to be done. Call Buffy about Oz, do homework, reheat the last of the lasagna for dinner, go to bed, try to make myself go to school, avoid Giles. I stopped, and turned back to look at Oz, he was kneeling again going for the welding torch.

"Oz?"

"Yeah?" He straightened up.

"Why did you tell Giles?" It had been gnawing on me for the past couple days. A sort of underlying aggravation over him blabbing. That had been private for me, he knew damn well my feelings about this, he had no business telling Giles about something that wasn't even relevant. It was the house, nothing more. I tried to ignore the clenching in my chest as I waited for him to respond.

He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, "You looked scared," he said, making a point of meeting my eyes, "I didn't know what I could do about it, but you looked like you needed help. Giles is...Giles."

I nodded slowly, it didn't justifying him going behind my back, but his intentions were well placed I guess, "You could have come to me."

"And you would have listened?"

"Probably not," I said, and turned to leave again. I heard him shuffling about with his welding tools behind me, "Oz," I said, not turning around, "You look scared."

* * *

I walked into Buffy's dorm and chucked my bag on the floor, "So what's the emergency?" I asked cheerfully, going for the box of chocolate-y granola bars I knew Buffy kept stashed in her desk. Okay no response, that's cool, "Come on, you didn't drag me out of class to chat did you? I mean - I might expect that from Xander -" A muffled squeaking noise came from Willow's bed.

She was crying; eyes puffy and red, nose puffy and red, cheeks puffy and red, hair just kind of red. Buffy was next to her, and arm wrapped around her shoulder. Willow buried her head in her hands as her face contorted against another sob, every once in a while her whole body would jolt with a hiccup. I looked to Buffy, what the hell happened? I don't think I had ever seen Willow that upset before. Buffy whispered something to Willow, and nodded towards the door.

"What's wrong?" I asked as the door clicked shut.

"Oz cheated...I think, she's not making a ton of sense right now," Buffy said a bit wearily.

"With who?" It didn't seem like Oz, but they had been drifting recently.

"Veruca," She stated. Who? I must have looked confused, because she clarified, "The singer from the Bronze the other night."

Oh, yeah that made sense, he'd been watching her so intently, "Oh. Is Willow...okay? I mean aside from the crying."

"She's pretty broken up about it. She almost got hit by a car earlier." Buffy said, her forehead was wrinkled, mouth turned into a frown.

Shit, "She wasn't trying to-"

"I - I don't know, she was pretty out of it. Look, I need to go after Veruca," Buffy said.

"Woah! She's a bitch, but I don't think that constitutes slaying her!"

"She's the second werewolf. I don't want to slay her, but she seems...more dangerous than Oz." She said, and I nodded.

"So do you need help with finding or something?" I asked, watching Buffy hunt could be fun. Better than going to English class.

"No, I need you to watch Willow. She's not exactly stable right now," Buffy said, lowering her voice to make sure Willow wouldn't hear through the door.

"Yeah no problem," I said, reaching for the handle, "Good luck with Veruca."

* * *

Willow didn't say a lot, I stayed with her on her bed for a while, offering up Buffy's chocolate as consolation. She didn't want any. I'd never seen her so despondent before, it was strange. She was Willow, she was the perky one, with the happy go lucky attitude and good advice. She had stopped crying a few minutes ago, and now it was quiet, the kind of quiet where your ears start to ring. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to say, if I was supposed to say anything at all. She had her back turned to me, her sides steadily rising and falling with each breath. She could have been asleep for all I knew. So I continued keeping her company in silence.

I didn't know how much time had passed, it could have been ten minutes it could have been an hour, however I did know I needed to pee. The creaking of springs as I rolled off the bed was cacophonous in the quiet of the room. Willow didn't move, or look up, her eyes were closed. I smiled softly at her, other than the bright red nose she looked rather peaceful. Trying not to disturb her I slipped off to the bathroom.

The sink hissed as I turned it off, and reached for a towel. How long would it take for Buffy to track down Veruca? I loved Willow, but god was I bored. I could probably start homework, or read, or something, it's not like she was awake or anything. Oz was just screwing up everything lately, wasn't he? Normally he was the sensible one. Breathing out heavily I walked back into the room to find it empty. Well, shit.

I burst through the door into the hall. I'd been in the bathroom maybe two minutes at most, she couldn't have gone far. I ran for the stairs, earning more than a few looks from college kids. The common room on the bottom floor was full of students studying, talking, heading off to class or coming back from it. I scanned the crowd for a hint of her short red hair, nothing. Buffy was going to kill me, I had one job, sit next to the semi-catatonic witch and make sure she didn't do something stupid. I had no idea what she was up to, but I was eighty percent sure it would fall under the category of stupid.

* * *

I jogged through campus, trying to catch a glimpse of her. This was useless, campus was huge, she could be anywhere. Still I had to do something, I couldn't just leave her to step in front of a car again. What the hell would she want out here? It couldn't be a quiet place to think, the dorm was perfectly quiet as is. She didn't seem all that interested in binge eating ice-cream, and she wouldn't have needed to sneak off for that. I would have gladly done it with her. Oh god, she was going to witch them wasn't she?

She would need supplies. Maybe? I needed to start paying more attention to my friends' hobbies. I knew there was a little magic shop maybe a half a mile from here, maybe if I ran fast enough I could catch up with her. I turned and picked up the pace, Willow was going to hate herself in a week if she hurt them. She wasn't that girl. I tried to take deep, paced breaths, I couldn't stop yet. It took a minute or two to reach the quad, only the rest of the half mile to go. I should have remembered my bike.

I would have blown right through the quad and on into town if I hadn't noticed her. Not Willow, but a blonde. The way she moved, it was like she was hunting; long and sleek, and with an intent to kill you learned to pick up on after three years of watching Buffy go back and forth with vampires. She looked familiar, really - Veruca. Buffy was no where to be seen, some job she was doing. Who would Veruca be hunting during the day, normally they weren't quite so blood hungry until the sun went down. Maybe she had a personal beef with someone?

Willow.

I slowed down and started to follow Veruca. She was going after Willow, oh god what was I supposed to do? I couldn't take on a werewolf. If I could get ahead of her, warn Willow...but Veruca seemed to be the only one who knew where she was. My brain was in overdrive, trying to figure out how to get to Willow before Veruca did, but I was coming up with nothing.

We were heading towards a series of blockish, brick buildings with a plethora of smoke stacks coming out of the roof. The chem labs. If only there were only one lab, but there were three. I could have run ahead, maybe gotten there first and locked the door. Buy enough time to find Willow, but I was relying on the sniffer of the girl who wanted to kill her.

The blonde took a turn towards the steps up to the largest of them. I could do it, if I could just make a break for it. Alright Marley, you can do this. One, two, three. I lunged forward, sprinting past her for the door. I was halfway up the steps when I heard her call out.

"You think I didn't know you were following me?" She smirked, and turned, running towards the lab opposite.

Shit.

I took off after her, Veruca was going to kill Willow all because I couldn't hold my fucking bladder. There was no way I would ever be able to outrun a werewolf, but I managed to get to the door just as she locked it in my face. I could see the mocking bite to her laughter as she flipped me off through the door's huge glass windows, turned, and sprinted off towards the stairs.

"Come on!" I yelled, shaking the handles violently. This was shit, such fucking shit.

Veruca had already disappeared from sight, how close was she to Willow? The sun was almost down, and everything was cast in a red-orange glow. I glanced at the glass in the door. It took less than a minute to find a big enough rock to chuck through the bottom section. The glass shattered, leaving a web of white cracks that I kicked out before crawling through, doing my best to avoid cutting myself on the shards.

Apparently it was late enough that everyone had gone back home. I sprinted down rows of empty classrooms, trying to find Willow. If only I had kept up with Veruca - I still wouldn't have been able to get there in time - but I would have at least known where I wouldn't make it.

I took another set of stairs two at a time, my lungs burned, but I couldn't stop. I needed to find her. Coming up to the fourth floor I saw her, Veruca. Her lips curled back in what I could swear was a snarl. Fuck. I took a shaky breath, now what? My pulse was starting to accelerate, I could run back down stairs. That looked to be my only option, Veruca could probably kill me wolf or not. The wolf had some sort of sick grin painted on her face as she advanced, eyes locked on me. Maybe I could distract her? Lead her off somewhere till Buffy found us. Yeah, because I could totally run that long.

There was a crash of ceramic falling to the floor, and a familiar "Shoot!" from a room that fell square in between me and Veruca. We met each other's gaze and lunged for the door. I knew I didn't have a chance, she grabbed me and planted a solid punch to my jaw. I staggered back, fuck that hurt.

By the time I had recollected my senses the door had closed, and there was a distinct click as she locked it behind her. There were no huge windows in it for me to break, just a long thin slit, filled with glass and crossed with wire.

"Willow!" I screamed, banging at the door, "Willow!" she jumped. I don't think she even saw me before Veruca landed the first hit. Oh god, she was going to die, "Willow!" I screamed again, the word tearing at my throat. I don't know what yelling for her was supposed to do, let her know I would be there for her while she got mauled? I could hear the thuds, and the sharp cracks as Veruca struck her. A kick, a slap, Willow was on the ground, bathed in the dying red light. Her eyes were squeezed shut, hands over head, waiting for the next blow. There was nothing I could do.

"Willow!" I screamed, and someone screamed with me. Hands pushed me out of the way, and there was a sharp snap of the lock breaking. Oz.

I dashed in behind him, going for Willow as he ripped Veruca away. It all happened so fast as red faded into a dusky purple, and the air was filled with the sound of bones and ligaments popping into place, and deep throaty growls.

"Come on," I whispered, pulling her towards the door, "We need to get out."

"Oz," she said, not taking her eyes off of the wolves. I tugged at her again, the brawl was vicious, flying claws and teeth much larger than I would want near me. We didn't need to get caught up in that.

"Willow!" I stage whispered, we had to leave. There was a heavy crash as the wolves tumbled over the desks, I could hardly tell who was who. Just as quickly as it had started, it ended with the wet sound of flesh being torn from bone and blood. The red light was gone from the sky, but now it was leaking out over the white linoleum. The only sound in the entire world, were the choked gurgles coming from Veruca as she slid to the ground.

"Oz." Willow was on the verge of tears, she stepped towards him.

The wolf turned, muzzle painted red, and snarled. Oz wasn't home. The wolf lunged for Willow, teeth bared. Growls turned into a high pitched yelp, and he backed off, stumbling to the ground. I was hit with a wave of relief, Buffy stood in the doorway, tranquilizer gun in hand.

"Oz." Willow's voice trembled and cracked, Buffy brushed past me. Grabbing her best friend, and sinking to the floor with her. Each strangled sob seemed to echo around the room, as Willow clung to Buffy. I felt helpless watching them kneeling in the darkened chem lab amongst the slowly stretching tendrils of blood. It looked black now.

* * *

**Well, I hope you all enjoyed! Next chapter will be up as soon as I can manage :) **


	4. Canary in a Cage

**Chapter four! Special thanks to layla for reviewing, and to Hostile17'sKitten for her continued support,as well as everyone who has favorited and followed. I hope you all enjoy! Warnings for swearing and some mild violence. I'd love to hear from you guys, review, message, whatever. I hope you're liking it**

**Chapter Four - Canary in a Cage**

It had been a while since I'd actually spent a full day at school, and even then the class here and there hadn't been the most common occurrence. It had been a weird couple of days, Oz was gone, Willow was devastated, and I don't know...watching one of your best friends kill something that doesn't immediately turn into a pile of dust...it's unsettling. It felt all too human a death for a monster. I wonder how I would die, big bang of golden light? Poof of glitter? Collapse into a puddle of goo? Would it be just as human as Veruca's?

I had almost made it through the day, wandering through the long rows of beige painted metal from trailer to trailer. Just one more class, English. God I hoped Dylan wasn't there, it would be nice if we sat across the room from each other, but instead we were smack dab in the middle of the overcrowded class practically pressed up against each other. I hadn't seen him since I stood him up, and then he stood me up. Right now I wasn't particularly in the mood to see anyone, much less the guy that I had spent over a week with in a state of unspoken, unseen, awkwardness.

I had taken my sweet time on my way to the English trailer, slipping through the door with maybe a minute before the bell was going to ring. Most of the seats were already occupied, and I practically had to perform Swan Lake to get to my desk. No Dylan, at least there was no Dylan. I pulled out all of my things, and the small amount of homework I had actually made up, as opposed to the large stack sitting on my bed at home. Just this last class, and I was done.

The bell rang, and just as I thought as I was safe to spend my last fifty minutes in hell peacefully. Dylan sat down. I tried not to look at him, and keep my eyes on the teacher instead, but I kept catching myself trying to get a glimpse out of my peripheral vision.

"Hey," he whispered, shooting a look at the teacher to make sure she wasn't paying attention, "Can I talk to you? After class."

"Yeah," I said, not quite meeting his gaze.

The class seemed to drag on and on after that. I wasn't focusing so much as I was absentmindedly tapping my pencil to the beat of the butterflies in my stomach. I was expecting him to ignore me, I was expecting to pretend to ignore him while I internally tried not to explode. I was not expecting him to want to talk. I almost dreaded the bell ringing, stupid Dylan, that was supposed to be the highlight of my day.

After what seemed like hours we were dismissed, the teacher yelling last minute instructions over the clatter of chairs and zipping backpacks. Dylan waited politely beside me while I packed up, and wove precariously through the cramped desks right along with me.

"So, I wanted to talk to you," he said once we were outside the trailer, "You've been kind of hard to find lately."

"I'm sorry. About our date, there was an emergency my friend was drunk. I needed to keep her from doing something stupid, I wanted to tell you, but she was running off and you were in the bathroom" I rambled, fiddling with the straps on my backpack, "And there's been some stuff going on the past couple days, so I haven't been able to make it to school. But you aren't innocent either! I waited at The Bronze for hours, and you didn't show up!"

His brow furrowed, "I was there, I looked for you."

"What time did you get there?" I asked, there was a sinking feeling forming in my stomach.

"Nine." This was Giles' fault.

"I'm sorry, something came up, I thought you weren't coming -" I started.

"No, no it's fine," he smiles, "Maybe we could do something this weekend?"

Oh thank God, he didn't hate me, "I'm going to a party tomorrow night, we're trying to cheer up a friend, but you're more than welcome to come with."

"Yeah, yeah that sounds fun. Where is it?" He asked.

"It's on the UCS campus, um Lowell House I think," I said, I really hoped I got the name right, if we ended up going to different parties I think I would just sit down and cry.

"A frat party?" Oh gosh, I should have known Foie Gras boy wouldn't want to hang with drunk college lunk heads. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to hang out with drunk college lunk heads.

"Yeah, I have a lot of friends in college," I said, "I'm kind of obligated to go, but if you would rather not, maybe if your not busy sunday?"

"No, the party sounds great." He grinned, the dimples on his cheeks were showing again.

* * *

Should I wear a dress? Or just stick with jeans and a nice shirt or something? I stared at the two outfits I had laid out on the bed, it was like they were staring right back at me. I didn't want to be the girl with the holes in her pants again, but it was just a frat party. It was seven thirty, I was supposed to meet him in less than an hour. Alright, I just needed to choose something, and go. Dressy? Casual?

I grabbed the dress and held it up in the mirror, the black material made me look even paler than I was. Which for living in California, was pretty damn pale. I sighed and dropped it to the ground and grabbed the pants instead.

I was nearly out the door when the phone rang, it was seven fifty, I didn't want to be late. My track record with timing and this guy was already awful. Stalking over to the phone I picked it up.

"Hello," I said flatly.

"Marley? Hi, sweetie, how are you?" Joyce, I hadn't had a call from her in days.

"Hi! I'm doing fine, great, how are you?" I asked, my tone a bit more chipper.

"I'm doing okay, I'm ready to come home though," she said, she sounded sleepy.

"Well, you've only got a couple more months."

"Oh don't remind me." She laughed, "How are you doing on food? Do you have everything you need?"

"I ran out of the food you made." She laughed, "It was really good." It had been good, I had run out of it nearly two weeks ago now. I was living off of canned ravioli… I probably should go out to the store at some point. Ravioli was suiting me just fine though, ravioli and cheese puffs.

"That was supposed to last you till I got back," she said.

"Well it almost made it." Almost.

"Have you been remembering to shop then?" She asked.

"Yep," I lied, "I was just about to go out for a bit, I can pick up some stuff on the way back."

"Alright, be careful. Call me tomorrow, I need some errands run"

"I will."

* * *

I was going to be late if I didn't hurry, but if I ran I would get sweaty, and my make-up would smudge, and then it would be the pink underwear all over again. I was nearly to campus, maybe ten minutes from Lowell House, and I wouldn't doubt that Dylan was already there. He had a bad habit of being punctual.

Things had been quiet since everything had happened with Oz, I'm sure there were vamps out, but I wasn't hearing much about them. I assume Buffy was just taking care of it on her own for the most part. Which was fine, I hadn't been in much of a mood for demons lately...which I guess means I wasn't in the mood for myself? I'm certain the party would help; dancing, Dylan, drinking when Buffy wasn't looking. The last frat party I had gone to didn't go over so well, you know, hell house and all that, but I had a good feeling about this one.

Damn it, I really was going to be late. I was supposed to be there in a couple minutes, there was a shortcut, but it went through the trails instead of the paved paths. Did I want to risk it? They weren't all that well lit, I could end up coming out with holes in my pants...again. I glanced down at my watch, yeah it was worth, I didn't want him thinking I stood him up for a third time. I turned down the little path, and started to wave my hands in front of me. I didn't want to get a face full of spider today, thank you very much.

I couldn't have gotten a useful demonic power? Like night vision, super speed, the ability to teleport? No, I just fucking exploded every once in a while. It was cool, only mildly inconvenient. I forgot how dark the dark was, I was practically blind and just praying I didn't hit a tree or something. I knew the shortcut pretty well, so I was almost certain I had taken the right turn. It wouldn't be long before I made it to Lowell House.

I was making such a racket, blindly stumbling through the woods, I almost didn't notice the sound of a somewhat smaller racket moving steadily behind me. Almost. I knew this was a mistake, I'd lived in Sunnydale for three years now, you'd have thought I would have learned not to walk in the woods alone at night. I tried to ignore the quickening thud of my heart, and walked faster. If I could just make it to the path I would be within screaming distance of a slayer. I was half speed walking half jogging now, if I tripped over a root I was so screwed.

I could hear it breathing, stupid, stupid, Marley. You knew better than this. I broke through the undergrowth into a clearing. This was not where I wanted to be, this was not concrete lit by streetlamps. This was grass, and trees, and really dim moonlight, and a - shit! The demon broke through the tree line, I couldn't see details, but huge ass mother fucker would probably be the most accurate description I could give.

It hadn't been running that fast before had it? The thing moved rather gracefully for a demon of its size and stature, and now it was moving rather gracefully right at me, and then it bowled right past me. Well, that was a surprise. What the hell would something that size be running from? I decided that it might be in my best interest to run too, I took off after the demon, it probably had a better idea of where this thing was coming from.

The demon hadn't gotten very far before I was catching up to it, we were about to head back into the trees. I couldn't run this fast when I couldn't see...did demons give piggy back rides? I mean, I was a demon too, there's got to be some sort of supernatural solidarity there or something. I risked glancing back, there were several dark figures - human sized from the looks of it - spread across the field and coming at us. They didn't look too imposing, but if gigantor was scared I was going to trust him.

Apparently looking back had been a bad idea, because suddenly my feet were caught up in each other, and I was heading towards the ground, and the demon's feet were getting caught up on me. We tumbled to the dirt, I couldn't breath, this guy had to be at least three hundred pounds, and a lot of it was on my chest. Before either of us had a chance to move a shock ripped through me. If I hadn't had the paper weight from satan on me I would have convulsed and screamed, everything in my body felt like it was twisting around needles.

I could hear voices now, human ones. It wasn't dark anymore, everything was bathed in a soft golden light. It was pretty, like summer mornings with stars. The demon was rolled away, but the pressure didn't leave, I still couldn't move a thing.

"Cooper, make sure the civvy is okay." The voice sounded faint.

A face entered my field of vision, "Sir! I don't think it's a civilian, come look at its eyes!"

I couldn't see the others, but I could hear their footsteps, boots surrounded my head. They were just little dark smudges on the edge; like in elementary school when you tried to outline a picture of the sun with a black crayon, but when you tried to color it yellow it bled in and made it all ugly.

"Bag it."

* * *

I groaned and closed my eyes tighter, it was too bright. It couldn't be morning yet, just a few more minutes. That's all I needed, a few more minutes of sleep. I must have had a terrible night's sleep last night, I felt stiff everywhere, even my bed felt like a board. At least there weren't any birds chirping, just a couple people screaming...wait. I must have been one massive bruise, my whole body protested as I dragged myself into a sitting position. Where the hell was I?

The whole place was white. White walls, white floors, bright white fluorescent lights. I was in some sort of cell, I think. It was a piss poor excuse for a cell at that - maybe excluding the exceptional flooring materials - no bed, no toilet, not even a blanket or a pillow. It was cold too, the halter top wasn't really cutting it.

"You know," a familiar british accent drawled, "I was wondering when someone would put the little bird in it's cage. It was about time."

Slowly I turned to look through the glass of my cell, and into the one across from mine. How? What did I do to deserve this? Spike had a smug little smile on his face, lips pressed tightly together. His prison was just as sparse as mine, separated by two panes of glass and six feet of pristine white hallway. Must be hellishly strong glass if Spike hadn't broken through it yet.

"What is this made of?" I asked standing and slowly reaching out to touch it, I yelped and leaped back. I had been hoping not to be electrocuted again today, or was it tomorrow now? Spike burst into laughter, the sound echoing off the walls.

"Oh come on," I glared, "Like that didn't get you too?"

"It was just funnier when you got it, love," he said, watching me with the same fucking smirk.

"So where are we?" I asked, it sounded like he'd been here longer than I had been.

"Dunno, I thought this was some scooby deal," he said, looking around at what was visible from his cell.

Now it was my turn to laugh, "You thought a highschool student, two college kids, the weiner shack guy, and an unemployed librarian could afford this?" God how stupid was he?

"You could have gotten funding," he sounded a bit sheepish now. I scoffed, in three years of fighting demons I don't think I'd heard anything more absurd. Even if the council was rich, they were sure stingy with their money. My laughter died down and I sighed.

"So how are we getting out?" I asked.

"We?" He looked incredulous, "What do you mean we? When I get out of here, I'm leaving you to rot. See how long it takes the canary to croak."

"You're an asshole you know that?"

"Oh I'm sorry, did you think we were going to have tea and biscuits? I'm evil, bitch!" I glared at him, and opened my mouth to shoot back a response that I suddenly realized wasn't there. God I wished I could punch him, just rip that stupid grin right off his face. Not knowing what to say I turned away and sat down facing the wall instead.

* * *

I had moved to the corner, face pressed against the wall trying to ignore Spike. Now that I had had time to come to I was starting to sort out my aches and pains. I think I preferred being groggy. My head hurt, my neck hurt, my back felt like it had been dragged across a bed of nails, there was a sharp twinge in my stomach every time I shifted. I'm not sure how much time had passed, it could have been hours since I'd woken up, but they hadn't provided the courtesy of a clock. Instead they stole my watch, it was my nice one too, a birthday gift from Joyce.

Oh god, I'd stood Dylan up again. He'd seemed so chill about it the other day, but I wasn't sure how I was going to explain away this one. Got kidnapped and put in a jail with my fellow demon brethren, yes that would be so convincing. I was tired and hungry, I'm not sure if it was just the passing time or the after effects of getting manhandled by the commandos. All I wanted was a cheeseburger and a nap, cheese burger didn't seem to be an option, so I tried to curl closer to the wall.

I winced as the pain in my stomach came back, fed up I pulled my shirt back, "Fucking hell!" I growled, my stomach had an 'I' shaped set of cuts haphazardly stitched together, "They cut me open! Who the hell does that?"

"I don't know I'd give it a shot, see what's under the hood," Spike said in a voice I could only describe as smarmy, I glared at him, and he returned it with a grin as he licked his lips, "give you a good poke."

"Shut up, Spike." I muttered, leaning my head back against the wall. Had Buffy realized I was gone? Had anyone realized I was gone? I lived alone now, I could've died back at the house and been eaten by neighborhood cats before someone found me. She would try to find me right? Where ever I was...I could be in the middle of Nevada for all I knew.

"What, are you gonna make me?" Spike said and laughed, why couldn't he just leave me alone?

"You know what? Talk to yourself all you want, jackass. I'm taking a nap."

"Whatever you say, Bird." There was a moment of utter perfect silence, nothing but the hum of fluorescent lights; and then he started on a surprisingly long rant of rather vulgar names, implications, and slurs. Lulled me right to sleep.

* * *

I dreamt of cheeseburgers. Eating them, putting ketchup on them, pulling the melty cheese right off the wrapper, shoving one down Spike's throat and watching him choke. It felt so real, I could practically smell it. The rich meaty scent of highly processed beef, that was the stuff. I was sad to return to the world of plain white things, and evil things that were nearly as pale. I could still smell that burger though, that perfect perfect burger. Shit I could see that burger, neatly wrapped in the center of the floor. Tempting me with those perfectly curved buns - wait. That was a burger.

I ignored the stiffness in my body in favor of the small tiger in my stomach, and scrambled towards the precious food. Oh it was still warm, the paper crinkled like heavenly wings wrapped around a meat angel. With no hesitation I ripped the wings off and lifted it to my mouth.

"That's been drugged ya know," Spike said from his spot leaning against the wall near the glass. No, I would not let him ruin this for me, I was so hungry. I lifted it towards my mouth again, "Fine, let the good doctors play hacky sack with your kidneys for all I care." He turned to stare at the wall in front of him again. God he was such an ass, I just wanted to throw something at that stupid face of his. Before I could think my hamburger was sailing through the air and sizzling against the glass, blue sparks flying everywhere.

It was like when you were pissed at your mom, and she made dinner as a consolation, but you refused to touch it out of pride. It looked delicious, and you felt mad at yourself and the cookie on the edge of the plate more than anything, but you wouldn't lower yourself to temptation. As much as I wanted it, there was no way I would let Spike sit there and giggle as I crawled on my hands and knees for burnt burger scraps.

This was his fault.

* * *

"I thought you said it was drugged." I glowered at him as he picked up the bag of blood that had just dropped from his ceiling, I was still mourning the loss of my burger.

"That's why I'm not eating it," he said, ripping the top off of the plastic.

"Then what the hell are you doing?" I asked. He didn't respond, apparently too busy just pouring it on his face. It was getting everywhere, his clothes, his neck, the floor was going to be stained. I could smell the coppery scent from here.

"Getting out." With that, he rather dramatically collapsed.

If he had been alive I would have thought he was dead. He was rather good at playing unconscious, absolutely perfectly still. He didn't move a muscle, not even when a bunch men in white coats started draggin him onto a gurney. It was a matter of seconds before he was in motion again, yellow eyes, and bumpy face in all their glory. The scientists screamed as they scrambled away, Spike was snarling a vicious grin twisting across his mouth.

The men were fumbling with their coat pockets as Spike stalked towards them, shoving the gurney out of the way, all swagger and flair. What a pretentious ass. The smaller one came at him with what appeared to be a syringe, and almost looked surprised when Spike caught his hand. For someone who studied demons, he wasn't particularly educated on the reflexes of vampires. Practically before I could blink the syringe was in the man's neck, and Spike was on the next scientist injecting him with the rest of the liquid. They were out in seconds.

"Still trying to keep the slayer off your back huh?" I asked, standing to move closer to the glass. He looked at me, "You didn't kill them."

"This is Special Ops, love, not Sweeny Todd. I'm trying to get out, not sheer open the throat of every man who ticked me off this week." He growled, and turned to leave.

"Hey! Aren't you going to get me out?" I called, trying not to lean against the glass on instinct.

"Nope!"

"I'm going to escape eventually!" I yelled.

"Oh, and then what? You gonna sick your precious slayer on me?" He laughed.

"You're really thick aren't you?" He tilted his head, looking slightly offended, "You haven't wondered why I'm in here yet?"

He rolled his eyes and grabbed a card off one of the white coats, "You bloody owe me, Bird."

"Noted," I said as the glass slid to the side and I dashed out after him.

* * *

I followed behind him as we wove through white hall after white hall, half of them lined with demons and vamps that howled and banged as we ran by, more than a few were blown back when they hit the glass. I had come to the conclusion that he actually had no idea where he was going, sadly neither did I.

"Do we have a plan?" I asked, trying not to sound out of breath.

"Yeah, I have a plan."

"You planning on sharing your plan?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Find an exit," he said, whipping around another corner.

"Oh look out, we've got a real genius right here," I said, a slight pant starting to slip into my voice. He ran really fucking fast.

We rounded yet another corner, only to be faced with four or five of the commando boys. We all stopped, watching each other silently. There was a hallway that broke off between us and them, it was that or turn back. I was all for turning back, but Spike grabbed the halter part of my halter top and yanked me forward. I really had no other choice if I wanted to avoid a somewhat awkward situation. We were running at them full speed, and then I was going a bit faster as he practically threw me towards them.

I twisted about and grabbed his arms, "Oh no you don't you son of a bitch!" I yelled and brought him down with me, before rolling to my feet. The soldier boys were almost on us, so I grabbed Spike by the collar and started running. As much as I would have loved to have left him, my 'secret power' was really fucking useless until they tried to put a bullet in my brain.

Alarms were going off, the lights painting the white walls red; and joy of all joys, a very heavy steel door was closing in front of us. A hand closed over the back of my neck and shoved me down and we slid under just as it slammed shut.

"Move!" Spike yelled, dragging me back to my feet, and we took off again.

* * *

When we finally emerged, and I mean emerged right from the ground like...groundhogs, it was dark. Which frankly didn't tell me a lot. It could have been the same night, it could have been days, I had no clue how long they had kept me under. We were on campus though, not far from the quad. We nodded to each other a bit stiffly and went our separate ways. Me to find out what day it was, he was probably going to go eat someone.

Maybe I would be lucky, and the Lowell house would still be having their party, and I could pretend this didn't happen. Maybe, after I found a few ice packs. Maybe I would be really unlucky, and the Lowell house would be having a party, just a different one, because it had been a week. It wasn't far, so it was worth a shot. Trying to ignore the protests of my ill-treated body, I started walking towards the frat houses.

The house was dark, maybe one or two windows had a faint light pouring out, but definitely no partying was occurring. No chance of surprising Dylan by actually showing up for once. I sighed, and turned around, deciding to make the arduous trek to Buffys dorm. I still felt cold, and the stitches in my abdomen stretched uncomfortably when I walked with too large a stride. At this point I think I was just ready to go home and sleep.

Actually, I think I would just crash with Buffy I decided as I walked into the dorm. Just a few more flights of stairs till I could hijack someone's bed. The halls were mostly dark, I hadn't been able to find a clock yet. Buffy had a clock though, gotta fucking love clocks….I was so tired.

The door was locked. Damn it. I knocked, and waited, knocked a bit harder, waited a bit less. Until a rather sleepy looking Willow appeared in the door.

"Marley!" She squealed and threw her arms around me, I did my best not to hiss in pain, "Where have you been? We've been looking all over for you! You didn't show up the party, and you weren't at the house, or the school, and you don't have friends -" I raised a finger cutting her off.

"Explain later, sleep first." I said, blinking rather heavily. She nodded and pulled me into her room, Buffy's bed was empty, she must have been out patrolling or something.

It was three thirty. Maybe I'd ask about the day tomorrow.

* * *

It was light. God, was it morning already? It felt like I had only been asleep for a few minutes. I forced my eyes open, the windows were still dark. I let my eyes close again, Buffy must be back. I was almost asleep again when that fucking british accent intruded on my nice almost sleep. No! No, he wasn't allowed to fucking do this.

My muscles protested as I dragged myself into a half sitting position so I could glare at him properly, "Spike, for the love of God, not now. I don't care what you want, just come back in a couple hours."

"Not gonna happen, love." Willow was starting to wake up in the other bed.

"Fine, I think Xander installed Doom on Buffy's laptop. Knock yourself out, we can do this when I wake up."

"Alright, I'll let you sleep, Lil' Bird," he said, and I collapsed back into Buffy's bed. That was easier than expected. I closed my eyes, and once again was almost asleep when Willow screamed. Fucking hell. I leapt up, Spike was leaning over her, a hand firmly grasped around each arm, pinning her to the mattress.

"Spike, this is not what I meant!" I rushed over, and tried to drag him off of her. He raised a hand and batted me back, I landed awkwardly against Buffy's bed, causing a sharp pain in my abdomen.

"This doesn't concern you, Bird."

"Oh like hell it doesn't, get off of her," I said.

"Yeah, get off of me." Willow piped up.

"Hush, Red," he growled, "Bird, you owe me."

"I was going to buy you a beer! Not let you eat my friends!" I yelled. He shrugged and lunged forward to bite. I was about to jump at him again when he staggered back, absolutely howling. He tried again, and again, each time with the same result. I made eye contact with Willow, she looked just as pleasantly dumbfounded as I did.

"What the bloody hell did they do to me?" He asked, sitting heavily on Willow's bed.

"Looks like they gave you a poke too, huh Spike?" I grinned, the bastard deserved it.

* * *

This guy could complain a lot, my eyes were drooping as we listened to him bemoan his poor pathetic existence. Took him long enough to realize it. Willow seemed slightly more sympathetic, just slightly. I sighed, staring out the window. It was dark still, it was only four o'clock, so it would be for a while. God, I just wanted to go back to sleep, when would he shut up?

"Well, you should probably leave. Sun rises soon, it would be tragic if you got frittered," I said, standing up to show him the door.

"I'm having a crisis!" He said, glaring at me.

"And I'm having a severe case of apathy! Now leave before I -" The lights went out, "Now look what you did!"

"What the hell did I have to do with this?" Spike asked, standing. There was a rush of footsteps outside the door, and the electronic crackling of an intercom.

"Hostiles seventeen and twenty eight have been located, they will be collected and returned to base." My head shot up. Spike and I were looking at each other, and I couldn't quite see details, but I'm certain the 'oh shit' expression was mutual. Before either of us could say a thing, the door burst open and I was knocked to the side.

I didn't even have time to think before there was a bag on my head, and hands grabbing me. I screamed, kicked out, but nothing seemed to work. They had Spike too, I could have heard him cursing from outside. Was Willow okay? They didn't seem to have qualms with humans.

"She could have been infected," a voice said from somewhere beyond the confines of my bag.

"I don't see any bite marks -" Someone else started, but before he could finish the thought there was a bit of a ruckus. Spike must have broken loose, from the shouting, and the defiant british insults. I was thrown to the side when the shooting started, shoulder hitting painfully against the wall. I ripped off my bag only to find an equally difficult to see through fog filling the hallway. I had just wanted to sleep.

It took a moment to find Willow in the fog, and the people who seemed to be kicking at nothing, and the flashing lights. Finally my hand closed around hers.

"Hide?" I asked.

"Hide." She nodded, and we crawled back towards the dorm. There were yells, and the sounds of a good ass kicking coming from outside the room, it was hard to see, but t found!he kicker definitely wasn't Spike. They were starting to retreat, and then they were gone, boots tramping off into the distance.

"Willow?" Buffy's voice called into the room, "Willow are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said, standing up and dragging me with her, "Look who I found."

* * *

**Lots of Spike in this chapter! I hope you all liked it, I'll try to get the next chapter out when I can :)**


	5. Bears and Boys

**Sorry it's taken so long to update, school's been terrible for the past week. Finals and all that are coming up, as well as my SAT and AP tests, so updating is going to be a little bit sporadic for a while. I'll be continuing to work on chapters, it'll just be slower than the first four chapters came out. Special thanks to Layla and Ropedmeasparrow for the reviews, and to everyone who has favorited and liked the story! I hope you all enjoy, normal warnings for mild violence and swearing. All characters other than Marley belong to Joss Whedon. I hope you all like it, I'd love to hear back from you, messages or reviews are welcome :) Enjoy!**

**Chapter Five - Bears and Boys**

How many potatoes could Buffy possibly need? I wasn't sure how much longer the paper bag was going to hold out. I had promised I'd get the stuff on her list, but no I never thought to read it first, tell her she was going crazy. There were six of us, we didn't need five pounds of potatoes alone. I hugged the bags to my chest, it was another five minutes to Giles' place, and the bags were slipping. If I dropped these now I would just sit down and cry.

"You look like you could use some help." A pair of hands alleviated me of the potato bag. Dylan, oh no. I hadn't been to school, by the time I got out of the secret underground monster jail we'd only had a couple days before break. I hadn't seen the point of bothering.

I opened my mouth, trying to find words to use, "Thank - um - hi."

"You haven't been at school," he said, adjusting his grip on the bag, "You weren't at the party either."

"Look, I'm sorry. I don't have a good excuse-" I started.

"If you don't want to do this, you can just-"

"No! No, I do - I do want to - Life has just been kind of weird…" I trailed off. A group of guys were watching us from the other side of the street. I swallowed heavily, and tried to avoid eye contact. They were dressed like regular people, and part of me hoped they were just creepers, but another part was guessing they probably weren't. Regular creepers were hard to come by in Sunnydale; they all had to have fangs, or semi-automatic weapons and a secret base.

Dylan was watching me, green eyes filled with what could have either been concern or annoyance. I might have been able to lie about why I'd stood him up, but being run down by men with guns was a whole nother thing. I spared a glance at commandos one through five, they were passing around a bag of chips, talking in a circle. So inconspicuous, if one didn't have the imprint of a pistol against his jeans. Almost wished he was just happy.

"I am so sorry - about everything- but I need to go. It's Thanksgiving, and here," I reached for my bag, "I can just take that."

"No. No I can carry it for you, my family's out of town so I don't really have anywhere to be-" I tuned him out as he continued to talk. The guys were looking over more frequently, one had a radio. I decided it was high time that we left, and grabbed Dylan by the arm and started dragging him behind me.

"You know what? That's great, let's go." I said, glancing back as we rounded the corner. The commandos were following behind, one was talking into his radio. Probably calling in reinforcements or something. You know what? This was all Dylan's fault. If he hadn't guilted me into feeling bad about being late I never would have been captured in the first place. If Dylan wasn't such a damned nice person, I would have made it to Giles' before they'd seen me, and everything would be okay.

"I feel bad, inviting myself over for-" Dylan started as I pulled him along at an increasing pace.

"No it's fine. Plenty to go around, just hurry up okay?" I said. I had no idea how we were going to lose them, short of jumping in a manhole, but I don't think Buffy would be happy if I brought home sewer potatoes. I glanced back again, they were gaining. We were two blocks from Giles', maybe we could pass it, and circle around? God, I didn't want to get captured again. The incisions they'd made were just starting to heal, and from what I saw when I was down there my next hall mate could be worse company than Spike.

I could see the apartment now, and the commandos were still getting closer. I was so screwed. This was it, no Spike to pull me out this time, they'd fiddle with my insides and play with my brain till I died, and killed half of them in a burst of golden light. Maybe, if I dropped the groceries and just ran, let Dylan think what he wants. They'd still catch up, but I'd go down with dignity instead of a bag of carrots. I was just about to take off when I heard the rumble of an incredibly outdated car. Giles.

I grabbed Dylan's arm again, and ran out into the road. I wasn't going to die! The rickety old thing screeched to a stop, and I flung open the back seat, shoving Dylan and bags in before sliding in, and slamming the door behind me.

"Marley what is-" Giles had turned to look at me.

"Drive!" I growled, poking his cheek to make him look forward. He complied, his car groaning as we accelerated away. A knot that had been steadily growing in my chest disappeared, and I leaned back with a smile. No crazy commandos today, we could just have a nice normal Thanksgiving, "Go around the block please," I said, "Or around town, around town might be better."

"Marley, what was that?" Dylan asked, he was staring at me like I was crazy.

"Oh you know, too much sun, not good for the...follicles…" Maybe I am crazy, what the hell was I saying.

"I have to say Marley, I'm also intrigued as to why I found you in the middle of the road?" Giles sounded mildly peeved.

"Oh you know, just trying to get back before Buffy had to come after me," I said, "_Guns blazing._ You know how she is about Thanksgiving, she'd send a _whole army_ after me." I made eye contact with Giles through the rear view mirror, he nodded.

"Yes, yes we may have to talk with her later - about her behavior." He added quickly.

Dylan still looked horribly confused, "So you've been acting weird, because your…"

"Sister...kind of," I supplied.

"Really likes Thanksgiving?"

"Yes." I lied through my teeth.

* * *

"Marley!" Buffy practically yelled as we came in the door, "Where have you been? I needed those groceries hours ago -"

"It's only been twenty -" I tried to defend myself, but she kept on going.

"Now the squash for the casserole won't marinate properly! And -"

"Squash?" I asked. Oh no, this wasn't good.

Buffy paused, taking in a deep breath, and then in a terrifyingly quiet voice, "You forgot the squash?" She had the burning slayer fury in her eyes, you know, canned ravioli didn't sound like a bad Thanksgiving dinner, "Marley I asked for one thing! All I needed was for you to buy some vegetables! It wasn't that difficult! I have been working very hard, to give us all a nice Thanksgiving, and we already have a crazy-" I started coughing heavily, and shook my head towards Dylan. Native American curses were kind of on more of a need to know basis.

Dylan's hand closed around my shoulder, "Hey are you okay, do you need water?" I shook my head, and he nodded, "Is there a bathroom?" He asked.

"In there," Giles said, and Dylan thanked him, slinking out of the room. Everyone watched with stiff silence as he disappeared around the corner, and the bathroom door clicked shut.

"He is not to know anything!" I whispered jabbing my finger in the air for emphasis, "Anya, no demon references. Willow, no spells. We don't talk about commandos. We don't talk about the friendly neighborhood native warrior, and Xander just has the flu," I said, looking pointedly at each of them, "I have put in a moderate amount of work to keep him in the dark, and for me that is a lot! I will not have you idiots scaring him off with your damned mumbo jumbo."

"Aren't you technically made of mumbo jumbo? Demon and everything?" Xander said, from his place bundled on the couch.

"Yes, but he doesn't know that," I hissed, glancing at the hall, "So we're all going to sit down, shut up, and have a nice normal Thanksgiving!"

"Well now you're just starting to sound like Buffy," Anya said.

Both me and the aforementioned slayer turned on her, and said in unison, "What is that supposed to mean?"

* * *

Moratorium on the magic talk aside, Buffy was still allowed to go all turkey crazy on us. Current orders were to mash potatoes, and mashing I was. Everyone else had been given dinner duties too; Willow was setting the table, Giles was making the cheesey potato medallions, even Dylan was cutting asparagus. I'm not sure why we even had asparagus, literally no one here liked asparagus. Buffy was supposedly making some special sauce that needed extra precision that we weren't capable of. Mostly she just yelled a lot.

I slammed the fork through the potatoes again, the metal clacking against the bottom of the bowl. Lucky Xander with his syphilis, he didn't have to do anything. At least no one had gone off on any magic babble yet, I had put too much effort into lying to this boy. I didn't need all of that ruined today.

"You weren't kidding," Dylan whispered.

"What?" I asked.

"About Buffy, you weren't kidding, she really takes Thanksgiving seriously."

I laughed, glancing over at her, she was currently berating Giles about the amount of cheese he was putting on the potatoes, "Yeah, it normally isn't like this." Most Thanksgivings Joyce was in charge, and Joyce was generally a bit more put together.

"So...this is a lot of asparagus," he said, dropping another handful in the pan.

"Yeah. I hope you like it."

"Hate it," He said, slicing another sprig neatly down the middle.

"Foie Gras boy hates asparagus?" I asked, who would have thought. I thought he was supposed to be all fancy, asparagus was fancy. I think.

"Foie Gras tastes good."

"It's the liver of a an obese goose, how is that supposed to be good?" I asked, temporarily halting my mashing.

"I thought you said you liked it," He said with a laugh.

"I lied...had to look it up when I got home." I could feel a blush spread across my cheeks.

"How about next time we just get burgers?" He was smiling; dimples, and sparkling green eyes, and all.

"I'd like that." I said, grinning back at him. There was a heavy pounding at the door, and everyone looked up. It came again, "I'll get it!" I said, I was tired of mashing. "Here," I said, handing the bowl of potatoes to Dylan, "I don't think we're going to need any more asparagus."

I opened the door to see Spike. Of course, who else was going to show up? Walt Disney? He looked like shit. Dark circles under bloodshot eyes, blanket draped over his head, he looked like was going to drop dead...deader. Looks like whatever poking they did had some pretty adverse effects for him.

"Please," he croaked, "Please, just let me in." He looked pathetic.

"Nope." I shook my head.

"Bird please, I am begging you. You know I don't take that lightly," He pleaded, pulling the blanket higher over his head, glancing up at the sky. Oh no it was sunny out, whatever would he do?

"I'm about to get deep fried out here, Little Bird -"

"I'm astounded by how little I care."

"Soldier boys are out in force today. Like bloody gnats they are." He said, hunching over farther.

"So?" I asked. I didn't see how this was my problem, there were plenty of very nice sewers he could hide in. In fact, there was one right outside below the street. He had no need to come in, and ruin a perfectly horrible Thanksgiving.

"You owe me," He said, making sure to maintain eye contact. I took in a deep breath, and glanced back at Dylan who was diligently mashing away at the potatoes. I didn't really want Dylan around my friends, there was no way I wanted him around Spike. The vamp was a son of a bitch, but he did get me out of bleached hell.

"I'll talk to Giles. He's the one who can let you in, I'm not making any promises," I said, starting to close the door, "There's some bushes for you to hide under over there, no one wants to have to sweep you up." The door clicked shut, and I turned around. Anya and Xander were too preoccupied with his syphilis to have noticed, and everyone else was still being whipped into holiday shape by Buffy.

Did I really have to do this? How much longer would Spike last out there? If I was really lucky he would dust under one of the plants, there had to be some sort of nutrients in his ashes. Vampy fertilizer. He'd essentially saved my life, but he'd also tried to kill me three or four times. He'd only rescued me once, and even then he tried throw me to the hounds. I owed him though. Next time I needed something from Spike, I was going to have to remind myself not to.

"Giles?" I said quietly, glancing at Buffy who was tasting the mashed potatoes next to a somewhat frightened Dylan, "Could you do me a favor?"

"Why yes, of course." He said, dusting his hands of the cheese he'd had been painstakingly removing from the potato medallions.

"Come invite Spike in for me." I tried to pull my lips in some semblance of a smile.

"Absolutely not." Giles was looking at me like I was insane, which I understood. I wouldn't really want a mass murdering monster having free access to my house either. Oh wait, he already did.

"Giles please. He got me out of the base, I owe him."

"Marley, this is not something that is negotiable. I am not letting Spike into my home."

"Please," I begged, "The commandos are out looking for him, and quite frankly I don't trust Spike not to give me up."

Giles sighed and took off his glasses to polish, "Alright, but he's your responsibility."

"He's a vampire not a dog," I said trying to force down a laugh. I didn't need Buffy noticing, she wouldn't take it well.

"Well he is already neutered," Giles said with a smirk, and headed for the door. I went with him, pulling it open. Spike hadn't moved, apparently too good for squatting under bushes. He looked up with the most pitifully hopeful look I had ever seen on a vampire. I wonder how long he'd worked on that one, he had to be absolutely starving to get rid of that shitty attitude of his.

"Come in Spike," Giles sighed, opening the door wider for him to run past. He chucked the blanket to the ground and rose back up to his full height.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Buffy stormed in from the kitchen.

"Buffy-" Spike started.

"Shut up, I wasn't talking to you!" She snapped, "Marley what is he doing here?"

"Why are you looking at me? Giles let him in!" I said, pointing a finger at the watcher.

"To be fair, you begged me." Giles started polishing his glasses again.

"Buffy, could we talk about this somewhere else?" I asked, jerking my head towards Dylan. Her lips pursed, the pink skin turning white, but she nodded. Turning towards the hall to the bathroom, grabbing Spike's arm and dragging him along after her. He protested, earning a hard jab to the ribs. I sighed, and followed behind.

Dylan was watching from the kitchen, potatoes held in freeze frame. I didn't mean for the poor boy to get stuck in this...and this wasn't even the crazy part. I smiled at him, and gave an awkward little half wave before I disappeared around the corner. I was hoping that 'I'm sorry my family is made of crazy people', would be the message conveyed.

Spike's attitude was starting to shine through again, he had his arms crossed, and was glaring at anything save the slayer. Whatever did that poor carpet do to him? Buffy was rummaging through the closet, knocking things over more than she was actually searching.

"Marley, why the hell would you let Spike in? It's Thanksgiving," Buffy said, not looking up.

"He's a helpless asshole, but the asshole part has every ability to tell any gun toting hunter he meets where I live...and I kind of owed him a favor." Buffy grunted, apparently I'd provided an acceptable answer, that or she was too preoccupied with stuffing to get into an argument, "So what are you doing?"

"Getting some rope, we're going to have to sacrifice a chair to tie him on."

"Hey! Now I came here of my own free will, Slayer. Tying your guests up isn't-" Spike started, indignant.

"I don't care if you can't punch puppies anymore. I don't trust you," Buffy said, pulling a length of rope from the depths of the closet.

"Buffy, Dylan's over. Tying Spike to a chair seems a bit...conspicuous." There were more than a few things Dylan had just kind of gone with today, but tying some guy to a chair might draw questions I wasn't fully prepared to answer.

"Well what do you want me to do?" Buffy asked, letting the rope drop to the ground.

"Is there a way to handcuff him discretely?"

* * *

Things were cooking, honest to god cooking, and that meant for the first time I could sit. We were kind of short on chairs so I was seated on the floor, leaning against Dylan's legs. They were comfy and warm, and honestly a lot better than sitting at syphilis boy's feet, or next to Spike on the love seat. He currently had his hands tied b, and feet bound at the ankles. We'd covered him up in a blanket, and told Dylan he had the same flu that Xander had.

Spike was actually being good about keeping his mouth shut for once. It was nice just to relax, everyone was tired, and it was nice not to have any disturbances other than the occasional curse from Buffy. She was still in the kitchen, probably staring the turkey down as if that would make it cook faster. I'm pretty sure Xander was asleep in Anya's lap, and soft snores were coming from Willow's arm chair. Sleep didn't sound too bad.

I don't know what I had been so worried about, Dylan was a nice guy. The first few attempted dates had been unfortunate, but this was going to work out just fine. Me, and my pretty dimpled boy. Maybe he could be like new Oz, you know except not a werewolf, and mine instead of Willow's. We'd do research, and maybe stake a couple vamps, and then go home and he'd give me kisses. For now though, I think it was best he didn't know. Just for now, no need to scare him off too quickly.

I snuggled closer to his legs, closing my eyes, and letting out a small content sigh. I was a little chilly, but getting up for a blanket seemed like too much work. This was just fine. Dylan gently took a piece of my hair into his hand, twirling it around his finger, before letting it slide away. I tried not to moan as he ran his fingers through my hair, tracing patterns in my scalp, knuckles brushing over my ears as he tucked away stray strands. Fuck dinner, I thought as his nails softly grazed down the back of my neck, I could stay right here forever.

* * *

I'm not sure how long I'd been out, but it was dark outside, and my friendly head massage giving pillow was gone. I smacked my lips together, and tried to rub the bleariness from my eyes. In fact everyone was gone, everyone except Spike. Yipee for me. I seriously considered going back to sleep, and hoping he would go away, but then I remembered I was the one who suggested we handcuff him…and foot-cuff him. He wasn't going much of anywhere fast.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, stretching my arms up over my head.

"Your boy-toy's taking a piss. The slayer's still got herself in a huff, and has gramps arranging forks. Do yourself a favor, and go back to sleep Bird," He said, not really looking. Probably watching Buffy order Giles around, something about where the salad fork goes.

"That's not everyone," I said, pulling my knees up to my chest, and resting my chin on them.

"The rest of your scoobies went out. Something about a guy named Dean? They're being all hush hush 'bout it."

"Oh, okay." I curled back up, deciding I would rather sleep till dinner. Naps over napkins and shit.

"So, Bird, you're my host, entertain me." I could feel that stupid smile of his, I didn't need to have my eyes open.

"Why the hell can't you just call me Marley?" I asked, pressing my face closer to the couch cushion. I didn't feel like dealing with Spike right now, I could have stolen his blanket and let him burn, but no. Had to let him in the house.

"I've always called you Bird. First time I met you, you practically sat on my shoulder and talked my ear off. Felt like a proper pirate, parrot and all."

"You broke into a high school, I'd hardly call that pirating," I said, stretching back out. It wasn't like Spike was going to let me sleep anyway, "And to be fair, if I'd tried to run away you'd have killed me."

"If you'd stayed much longer I'd have killed you," He said, as if exasperated with the sheer memory.

"I did stay. You're the one who got his ass beat."

"Fine, but you didn't have to talk so much." Oh like he was innocent of talking incessantly.

"I was stalling! I think I handled my first vampire very well for being fourteen," I said, crossing my arms.

"I was your first?" He asked, a smile that I would almost call charming spreading across his lips. I nodded, "I'm honored. Raise a hand to my heart if I could," he rattled the chains under his blanket, "but handcuffs and all."

"Understanda-" There was a hiss shortly followed by a thud, and Spike yelled. An arrow stuck out from his chest, probably closer to his heart than he was comfortable with. I ducked down behind the chair, I was a little more breakable than Spike, "Buffy!" I yelled, not wanting to risk peeking. This was wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Oh God, Dylan was in the bathroom. There was a heavy thump behind me, Spike must have fallen off the love seat. How long till Dylan left the bathroom? Maybe I'd be lucky, and he was constipated, and would never even see this.

"I thought we were playing Pilgrims!" Spike growled, belly crawling up next to me, "Not Custer's last bloody stand. Now pull this out of me would you?" He said, propping up on one elbow so that the feathers were practically under my nose. Was he fucking serious? I had bigger problems than Spike being a pin cushion. Shit that was a plus.

"No," I said. Oh I should've let him burn. I wouldn't have owed him anything if he was dead. I could hear the twang of arrows, and more than a few things breaking when they landed. Buffy and Giles were yelling. Maybe Dylan would be smart and just hide in the bathroom. The toilet flushed, oh no.

"Hey is everything okay out here?" No, no, no, go back in the bathroom, "Oh shit!" I leapt up, and darted towards the hall. More than a couple arrows were embedded in the wall next to him wobbling up and down, making a wubbing noise I would have found comical if we weren't at risk of you know, dying. This was not what I wanted for my Thanksgiving, and I could blame most of it on Dylan. The rest of it was Xander for releasing curses, but I think syphilis was punishment enough.

"Move," I said, grabbing his arm, and pulling him back behind the corner.

"What the hell is happening?" Dylan whispered over the sound of someone getting throttled, and a yelp that I almost didn't want to believe was Spike. No I did, it was pretty amusing. Our mystical friends must have gotten into the house, which was slightly less amusing.

"Would you believe that we're just really into Thanksgiving?"

"Then I would have to believe that you're slightly racist!"

"Okay, look I can explain -" I was cut off by a yell as one of the Chumash rounded the corner, knife raised high. We scrambled back, cursing and screaming as he slammed his knife down where we had been seconds before. The warrior straightened up, wow he looked pissed. I mean he had every right to be pissed, but wow he looked pissed. He stalked forward, one deliberate step at a time, and we backed up correspondingly. That is until there was nowhere left to back. Shit, shit, what was I going to do? I looked at Dylan, he seemed just as terrified, and maybe slightly more confused.

"Buffy!" I yelled, the only response I got was the sound of a wooden table breaking. The warrior was closer now, within perfectly reasonable jumping distance. My eyes landed on the pretty oriental vase halfway in between us and him. Mustering my best battle cry, I grabbed the vase and ran at him. I brought it down on his head, the ceramic shattering into painted blue shards, and silk lilies.

"Come on!" I grabbed Dylan's hand, and ran for the living room. Giles and Buffy seemed to be handling themselves...kind of. I pulled Dylan down behind the couches, laying next to Spike, "What are you still doing here?"

"Where did you think I'd be?" Spike asked, "Picking daisies? You got me tied up like a bloody pig. I'm about as useful as one anyways."

"Oh stop complaining you ass-" something roared. What the hell roared? Three heads popped up from behind the couch as we tried to get a look.

"A bear!" Spike yelled, "You made a sodding bear!"

"What is happening!?" Dylan yelled back.

"Hell if I know, pretty boy. Slayer doesn't like telling me things," Spike grumbled.

"Slayer?" Dylan asked, looking to me. I opened my mouth to explain when the rest of the gang burst in, similar sentiments over 'oh shit a bear' were expressed. The bear reared up onto his back feet, bellowing again, and the fighting resumed. How the hell was the Slayer supposed to take on a bear? A magical bear, they had claws, and fur, and were cute. Buffy leapt back as the animal struck out, and again, and again, as it lumbered forward. It kept backing her farther and farther into a corner, a few more steps and she'd barely have enough room to strike.

Vaulting the couch I made a run for the table, barely dodging a Chumash's knife, I grabbed the plate of asparagus, "Hey! Bear" I chucked a handful of limp, over spiced, plant spears at the it. It turned, maybe more out of confusion than anything, I doubted that asparagus hurt all that much,"Yeah! Come on bear! Bring it!" I screamed as I threw more asparagus, nailing him squarely in the face.

"Weapons!" Xander yelled, "They can be killed with their own weapons!"

The bear was advancing on me now, and I was running out of asparagus. At least no one had been planning on eating it. It roared as I hit it with my last handful, I could smell its breath from here, and it wasn't necessarily pleasant.

"Buffy!" I said, holding out the plate as a makeshift shield, "Buffy! Hurry!" The bear reared up again, blotting out everything in the room. It was just fur and asparagus now. Fur, asparagus, and birds. Wait, birds? Black feathers gave way to a Chumash, bathed in green light, and then he was gone.

Buffy stood in his place, knife raised, "I guess you could say we, buried that mess."

"Buffy, even for you that was terrible," I said, letting the asparagus plate fall to the floor.

* * *

"So this is what you do, huh?" Dylan asked. We were sitting on the couch, I was staring at the half eaten piece of pie on my plate. It looked so good, but I was so full.

"Yeah. Well, Buffy. This is what Buffy does. I'm just kind of here." I said, fiddling with the pumpkin filling.

"I think you did pretty well with that bear," he said, nudging my side. I laughed, starting to blush.

"I just threw asparagus."

"Asparagus I worked hard to make," He joked, his dimples starting to show again. So he wasn't totally freaked, that was good. Less than totally freaked is always a good start, "Nah, nah this will be cool. Instead of burgers we could get stakes." He giggled, "Get it, stakes."

"Yeah, yeah I got." I said, half laughing half sighing. Still better than Buffy's bury pun.

"This'll be great, you, me, vampires, it'll be like Doom. Just real." Oh no. My stomach sank, he was too excited about this. I zoned out as he continued to babble about what great heroes we would be. Why did I think he would be like Oz? Oz was Oz, he was cool and collected, and Dylan apparently wasn't. I could see it already, first night out on patrol he'd have a vamp at his throat, and be trying to stake it in the arm.

"Can I talk to you?" I cut him off, and glanced at Spike. The vampire was staring at the ceiling with an expression of utter boredom on his face, I'm sure he would love to make a snide remark right now, "Alone."

Dylan's brow furrowed, "Yeah. Yeah of course."

We stood up, and I lead him into the hall. What should I say? My mouth felt dry, and no amount of swallowing seemed to ease it. I had worked so hard to try to get here, and when I finally got to stop lying, he had to turn out to be a moron. This was all his fault.

"I...I don't think this is going to work." I said, trying to avoid meeting his eyes. No more dimples today.

"What?"

"I...It's complicated. All of this, and I just don't…want you getting hurt." I said, trying to be as interested in the checker pattern of his shirt as possible.

"I won't -" He started, but I cut him off.

"But you will!" I paused, looking for words to explain, but I couldn't find any, "Dylan, please, could you just go?" There was a long, heavy silence.

"Okay. I'll go," He said, his tone clipped.

"I'm -" He brushed past me, rounding the corner, "sorry." I finished quietly,and waited to hear the door close.

* * *

Willow, Anya, and Xander had gone home, Buffy had gone after Angel, Giles had gone out to buy garbage bags for the asparagus and pieces of broken house. With Dylan gone, it was just me and Spike. What a wonderful fucking day.

"So you called it quits with the boy toy," Spike said, not taking his eyes off of the ceiling.

"Shut up, Spike," I growled, sitting down, arms folded.

"What? You chain me up, now you're going to gag me too?" He said, a hint of a laugh under his words. Should have let him burn. Huffing I adopted the same position as him, glaring at the shapes in the plaster's bumps.

"You going to sulk now? You're the one who broke it off with him, Bird."

"I told you to stop calling me that," I said, refusing to look at him. I could hear his chains clinking, as he shifted into a sitting position.

"So, tell me, Bird, how'd you fly into Sunnydale?" I let my head fall to the side, so I could glower at him properly. I just wanted to be left alone.

"Tell me how that was even slightly on topic?"

"Thought you could use a distraction," he said, reaching for my pie on the coffee table. I thought about yelling at him for it, but I hadn't been planning on eating it anyway, "So, tell me, how'd you end up in Sunnydale? You aren't a Summers, and I'm assuming you didn't just appear out of no where."

"Got kicked out," I said, looking back at the ceiling.

"Why?"

"I lost control, people got hurt, it was decided that it would be best if I left." I didn't want to talk about this, why was I talking about this?

"Your powers?" I looked back at him, he was watching me like he was actually interested. This was weird, I didn't like it,"You lost control of your powers?"

"How do you-"

"You've got to have some sort of mojo, ended up in the oxyclean nightmare with me, didn't ya?" He looked down, fiddling with his nails. The black paint had started chipping off, "So what'cha got hiding in that soft little body of yours? Got a bit of witch in you?Like Red?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Enlighten me."

I burst out laughing, _enlighten_.

* * *

**I hope you all liked it! I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as I can, though it might take a week or so. I hope to hear from you guys! **

**Until next time!**


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